Lady of the Woods
by Gaaracrazy
Summary: Being a know-it-all was hard enough, but when your mother was the Lady of the Wood it was even worse. Now forced into a marriage caused by one of her mother's visions, Hermione not only has to learn how to harness her new powers, but find a way to coexist with the boy who had tormented her since first year and since elves mated for life, she had a long road ahead of her.
1. Prologue

So, I haven't done a fanfiction in a long time and this one has been on my mind lately. A couple have so you will probably see several popping up in this genre. I don't have an update schedule. I will probably update as it comes to me or if I get so many reviews for more updates that I have no other choice, but to update lest I get cyber lynched.

Let me know what you think!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings else I would be a millionaire.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Prologue**

The milky film cleared from the water as the golden haired elf turned her blue eyes away from it. Her perfectly bowed lips settled into a frown. Things were going to be more complicated than she had previously thought.

"What is it, my lady?"

Galadriel of Galadhrim straightened her form and turned to her companion. The worried look on her old friend's face forced her to give a small smile to reassure him. Though she was centuries older than the man, he was more likely to kill himself from stress far before she ever would.

"Complications, Headmaster."

"Complications?" Dumbledore's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Is Harry going to have trouble? Should I gather the Order?"

Galadriel gave a short laugh at her friend's ability to take one word from her and take it on a crazed frenzy of possible problems. She stepped down from her scrying bowl and seemingly floated across the room. Elves were known for their soundless movement and though there were a few that were the exception it made their lives far easier to get around unnoticed. But some times more drastic measures were needed to hide their existence from muggles and wizards alike.

With her back turned to the younger man, she reached up towards a shelf on the stone wall of her quarters. "Your precious savior is safe, my friend." With a wooden box now in hand, she turned back to the wizard. "But my daughter is another story."

"Ms. Granger?"

She quirked a brow at him, "You know as well as I do she has never been a Granger." The wooden box in her hand was settled down on to the table between them. "I gave her to you for her protection. She is well aware of the consequences if she is found by the half-blood before she has taken my place as Lady Galadhrim."

"And I have done my best to keep her out of his sights." Curious, Dumbledore moved closer to the table to get a better look at what was inside the box. Eyes on the lid of the box, his mouth formed a small smile. "She does have a penchant for getting into trouble though."

Amusement filled Galadriel eyes, "And whose fault is that?"

Blue eyes crinkled, "I have hundreds of students. I can't police everything that goes on. I'm not like you, I don't know everything."

An unladylike snort left the elf, "Hardly." Her small delicate hand set itself on top of the wood lid. "Even I do not know everything and I wouldn't want to. The things I do know I sometimes wish I didn't." A tired look crossed her face for a brief moment and then it was gone. Her eyes moved to the item in front of her. "But back to the issue at hand."

"The complication." When she did not answer him right away, he gestured a hand out to her, "Well, what did you see?"

"Many things." She sighed and moved to open the box. "But only two that can be dealt with at this time." She reached her hand into the box and withdrew two rings. Both of silver metal, but upon closer inspection the metal looked as if two vines had intertwined themselves and had been dipped in silver.

"Those aren't…?" The grey wizard's brows rose in horror.

"Of course not silly wizard. These are engagement rings." Galadriel shook her head at the very thought that she would keep _those _rings anywhere out in the open.

She held the rings out in her hand for the wizard to see. He reached a hand out to pick up one of the rings, but dropped it back into her hand with a disappointed huff when he felt nothing but metal.

"Well Galadriel I am very fond of you, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to settle down yet. What would Celeborn think?"

She closed her hands around the rings with a pointed look and placed them back in the box. "These are not for you, old fool. They're Hermione's."

Dumbledore tilted his head, "I wasn't aware that a mate had been chosen for her yet."

"There has now." Galadriel whispered, her head down as she closed the wooden lid.

"I'm not quite sure I follow you, my lady. What does this have to do with the complication?"

"He's going to kill you. Or rather his actions will kill you." Her head snapped up when Dumbledore only chuckled. "It is no laughing matter. You will die if nothing is done."

"My dear friend, I am only a wizard. I am bound to leave this world one way or another."

Her small hand placed itself on top of his own aged hand. "But not like this. Not because of him. I will not let him take another light from this world. Not when I can do something about it."

Dumbledore placed his other hand on top of hers, a small smile on his lips. "Then you better tell me this plan of yours so that I can contribute to my salvation."

Eyes on her scrying stand, she tightened her hold on his hands. "We are going to solve two problems at once. Giving my daughter the power she needs to protect herself and keeping the boy from causing your death."

Grey eyebrows rose, "Boy?"

Blue met blue as her mouth spoke the name of her soon to be son-in-law, "Draco Malfoy."


	2. Chapter 1

Story is not HBP and beyond compliant. I have altered events to my liking and if you don't like it well…read it anyways!

Please review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Woods: Chapter 1**

Hermione's eyes jerked up from the glass in her hand at the sound of Harry and Ron plopping down next to her at Gryffindor table. While to everyone else it had looked like she was very focused on her pumpkin juice, the reality of it was not even close. She would think she would be used to having conversations via reflections with her mother by now, but even after sixteen years of existence she was still stunned by the magnitude of the power the Lady of Galadhrim held.

"Whatcha doing 'Mione?" Ron's voice grated on top of her growing headache. She really needed to practice using reflections for more than foresight, but with her mother being the only one she could talk to, she'd rather have a headache than talk to her longer than needed.

"Just thinking." She placed her pumpkin juice back to the top of her plate and resumed eating. After what her mother just told her she had a lot to think about. She didn't even know where to begin.

"What about?" Harry popped in grabbing a piece of toast from the plate in front of him. "Anything we can help with?"

Hermione smiled a little at the thought. What would they think if she randomly spouted out that her mother wanted to her marry their sworn enemy and by the way she really wasn't a muggleborn, but an elf? But not just any elf, she was the Lady of the Woods daughter, the most feared and revered being of all of Europe. She could just imagine the bulging vein in Ron's forehead when he found out.

"No. I'm fine, thank you."

Hermione picked up her fork and started to push her eggs around her plate. How was she expected to go about this? She chanced a glance at the Slytherin table looking for the blonde head of her potential betrothed.

Finally spotting him she took in his appearance. He wasn't completely unattractive. He was in good shape, nice face, and based on what the other girls in her year were always gossiping about he was great in bed. Not that she would know. Her mother would lock her in a mirror till she was two hundred if she found out she had lost her virtue to anyone, but her mate.

No doubt having felt her ogling him, Malfoy suddenly locked eyes with her and glared, before turning back to his conversation with the Slytherin girl that clung to him. Hermione grimaced at the sight. How was she going to convince him to marry her when he can't stand the sight of her?

Ron's arm bumped hers breaking her eye contact. "Why're you looking at the ferret for? Did he do something to you?" The redhead's grip tighten on the utensil in his fist. "Just tell us 'Mione and we'll take care of it."

"Yea, Hermione just tell us!" Harry threw an arm around her in a half hug. "You know you're like a sister to us!"

Hermione sighed and shook her head at him. "No guys, prior to what you may believe, not everything has to do with Malfoy."

She loved her boys, but sometimes they were really over protective. She was glad Ron had finally stopped looking to her as a potential girlfriend and had started seeing her as just a friend, it made the current situation so much easier. The sound of wings flapping drew the Great Halls occupant's attention towards the ceiling.

Owls swooped down delivering the daily post to different students. Hermione went back to her eyes not expecting to get anything special. A grey speckled owl dropped the Daily Prophet in front of her knocking her pumpkin juice over and into her forgotten breakfast.

"Great. Thanks a lot!" She called after the owl trying to keep the escaping pumpkin juice from falling into her lap. As she moped up the liquid in front of her a loud pop sounded and Dobby appeared on top of a plate of bacon.

"Oh no, Harry Potter's friend shouldn't do the cleaning! That is for us house elves." Dobby snapped his fingers and the pumpkin juice reversed its course and filled the now righted glass in front of her plate.

Hermione threw her napkin down with a huff. "Thank you Dobby."

Ron eyed the bacon Dobby was still standing in, probably trying to decide if it was still safe enough to eat. Harry on the other hand was looking like he had just swallowed something sour. Knowing Dobby's track record when it came to helping Hermione wasn't surprised that Harry was wary of the house elf.

House elves weren't really elves at all, well mostly. They were probably elves at one point, but centuries of cross breeding with dwarves and pixies had warped any leftover elven features right out of them. All that was left was a subservient beings with very little thoughts for themselves. It was sad really how society took advantage of their obedient nature. She wished her idea for SPEW had kicked off like she'd hoped, but nobody cared for house elves or what a little muggleborn student thought. She wondered if being Lady of the Wood would make them listen to her then.

"Did you need something Dobby?" The hesitance could be heard in Harry's voice.

Complete joy at being acknowledged crossed the house elf's enlarged features. "Oh Harry Potter you are so kind to ask Dobby what he is wanting, but Dobby isn't here for Harry Potter. No Dobby isn't."

Harry looked at Hermione and Ron with raised eyebrows. "Then who are you here for?"

"Oh Dobby is here for Miss Granger." His arms gestured wildly towards Hermione in his excitement.

"Me? What could you want from me?"

At this Dobby shook his head, "No, no. Harry Potter's friend misunderstands. Dobby does not want anything. It is the Headmaster who wants to see Miss Granger after breakfast. Said Ginger Newt is the password."

"But…" Before she could get another word out Dobby snapped his fingers and was gone.

Harry looked at her in question. "What could the Headmaster want?"

"Don't look at me! I'm just as lost as you."

Ron chuckled next to her, "Call the Daily Prophet! Hermione Granger doesn't know something for once."

"Oh shut it you." Her eyes glanced up at the head table, not seeing the Headmaster at the table, she stood up. She grabbed her bag from the under the bench, making sure to smack Ron with it as it swung by. "I'll see you guys in class."

"You'll tell us what he says, right?" She waved off Harry's question as she headed for the door.

Of course it would be her luck that no sooner had she left the Great Hall, that she smacked right into the person plagued her mind at that moment. She stood still as large hands grabbed onto her shoulders, keeping her from falling over. Shocked her eyes trailed up the well-defined chest hidden behind black robes and up to glaring grey eyes. When realizing who had bumped into him Malfoy quickly released his hold on her.

"Watch where you are going mudblood! I'm going to have to burn these robes now." He wiped his hands on the robe, obviously distraught from having touched her.

"Might want to burn your hands too just in case." She tilted her head to the side a smile played on her lips as she watched his face morphed from disgust to anger. He really was quite attractive when he was angry, his face got flushed and she swore his eyes get darker.

"Watch your mouth, before I do it for you." Draco shoved passed her and headed back into the Great Hall.

Wonderful. That was my husband-to-be. It was going to be a long millennia, if they didn't kill each other first.

A little depressed at that thought Hermione headed down the corridor towards the Headmaster's office. Merlin only knew what he could want with her. Maybe she could ask his advice on how to go about proposing to the Malfoy heir. Godric Gryffindor was probably rolling over in his grave at that very thought.


	3. Chapter 2

So many followers already! I'm so excited! Thank you all who have reviewed. If you like the story or just have suggestions please let me know by reviewing! I will try to respond to as many of you as possible.

**shaymars - Thank you! The story has been plaguing me forever! I'm not sure yet how I'm going to go about getting them together I haven't really planned it out. So I guess we will both see as it happens!**

**TheAngelOnYourRight – I'm so happy you like it! I am trying to keep them in character as much as possible. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 2**

The damn gargoyle wouldn't move! Hermione had said the password five times already and the stone creature to budge an inch. She was going to be late to class at this rate and she didn't want the Headmaster to think she stood him up.

"Ginger Newt! Let me in already you concrete monstrosity!" She threw her hands up when the stone eyes of the gargoyle narrowed at her. This was ridiculous, she would just have to owl the Headmaster her apologies. Hermione tightened her hold on her bag and turned with the intent to go to Herbology.

"Oh Miss Granger, there you are! I'm glad I caught you. My apologies. I got caught in a conversations with Professor Finn about candy caramelizing charms." At the sound of the Headmaster's voice, Hermione stopped and turned back towards him.

"Of course not, Headmaster. I was just trying to enter your office, but your gargoyle wouldn't let me through. I'm afraid I might have given me the wrong password."

The Headmaster nodded his head, "Yes that is quite my fault, my dear. I gave that password to Dobby last night and then changed it this morning when I had an overwhelming need for a fizzy pop." At the candy's name the gargoyle opened the door to the winding staircase that lead to the Headmaster's office.

Hermione followed behind the Headmaster as he moved into his large office. She sat down in one of the cushy chairs in front of the desk and placed her bag next to her on the floor. Her eyes trailed around the room and took in the familiar sight of the previous Headmaster's portraits on the walls, while Fawkes squawked out a greeting to her.

"Would you like a Fizzy pop? I have a few here on my desk." Hermione's gaze landed on the bowl of lollipops that resided on the Headmaster's desk and tried not to let her disgust show on her face.

"No thank you, Headmaster." Hermione then spotted the wooden box that sat in the center of the Headmaster's desk. "I see you've been to see my mother. That makes this easier."

"Oh yes, I went to see her a few days ago." He placed a worn hand on top of the box. "I am safe in assuming she has spoken to you about the situation then?"

Hermione grimaced, "Yes, just this morning in fact." She had always known her mother would choose her mate. Elves mated for life and whoever she bonded with would gain her slow progression of aging as well. It wasn't an easy choice to make on her own. "I can't say I am pleased with her choice. But I trust her judgment none the less."

"I understand completely, Miss Granger. That is why I called you here this morning. To try and give you some understanding as to why your mother chose who she did." Hermione scooted to the edge of her seat, giving the older wizard her full attention. "Certain complications, if you will, have come to your mother's attention and Mr. Malfoy is one of those complications."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Well he is a Malfoy."

The Headmaster chuckled, "Yes, indeed he is, but even the most confident of wizards can do horrid things when back into a corner. Our Mr. Malfoy has found himself in such a corner."

"But how is my marrying him going to get him out of said corner? I hardly think a wife is going to help him any." The young elf crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair.

"It will help more than you think." Dumbledore paused at the sound of someone coming into his office. "Ah, Professor Snape we were just getting to you."

Hermione sat up to see her Potions Professor. The dark haired wizard never even glanced her way, but approached the Headmaster's desk. She leaned back into her chair and waiting. If Snape was involved things were going to get a little pricklier than she wanted.

"Headmaster, I pray that you did not call me out of my class preparations for a social call?" His raspy voice hinted his annoyance.

"Of course not, Severus. Please have a seat we have much to discuss." Dumbledore gestured to the seat next to Hermione and Snape lips curled in distain.

"I'll stand."

"Suite yourself Severus." Not letting the potions professor dim his mood, the Headmaster smiled as Severus took his place next to the desk. "Now that all parties are accounted for, Severus you know Miss Granger of course?"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably when the dark wizard's eyes landed on her seated form. She never did like the potions professor, but if rumor had it he was Malfoy's godfather and she would probably need his help. But by the look he was giving her, she didn't think she really wanted it.

"Of course, Headmaster. Your point being?"

"Miss Granger if you would be so kind as to remove your glamour?"

The young elf sighed, she was afraid of that. The glamour only altered her hair and ears, but it was still a pain to get back in place. One time she didn't get her ears just right and Ron had noticed. She spent half a day convincing him that it was just an allergic reaction to an ear cleaning potion. Maybe Dumbledore would give her a pass for Herbology so she could spend the class getting it back in place.

"Miss Granger I do not have all day."

Hermione clenched her teeth at the Snape snide remark and took a deep breath. Elven magic wasn't the same as wizard magic. She didn't need a spell or fancy words, it was only about the magic. She only had to will it and have the power behind it to make it possible for it to happen. Made it so she had to be careful about wishing into the Black Lake when she was mad, for her she could actually make it happen.

The breath she had been holding came out in a whoosh along with the glamour altering her appearance. Her bushy brown hair smoothed out to become silky strands down her back as her small rounded ears elongated into points. If Professor Snape was surprised to see an elf in her place he didn't mention it. In fact, he didn't say a word just stared at her in wary speculation.

"Severus have you met Miss Galadhrim?"

Snape's eyes snapped away from Hermione's changed appearance and to the Headmaster's twinkling eyes. "Galadhrim!" He took another long look at Hermione before turning back to the Headmaster. "How long has Miss Granger been Miss Galadhrim?"

Hermione tried to hide her smug satisfaction of having surprised her snarky Potions Master, she really did, but she was not that nice of person. If this is the way he was going to react she couldn't wait to see how the rest of the magical community would feel about it. Even Dumbledore was getting a kick out of Snape's reactions, if that twinkle in his eye was anything to go by.

"Since the moment you laid eyes on her Severus. Miss Galadhrim was sent here when she was eleven by her mother…"

"The White Lady?" Snape's words came out in almost a whisper.

"Is there any other? As I was saying. Miss Galadhrim has been under our care for quite some time now and it has come to a point where she is going to be acquiring a mate and it is the Lady's desire that her daughter marry your godson, Mr. Malfoy."

Snape snapped out of his stupor at his godson's name. "Draco? But why would she want him?"

Dumbledore gave Snape a knowing look, "You know very well why, Severus."

"She can't possibly know about that." Snape clearly didn't believe what the Headmaster was telling him.

"Come now Severus, you know as well as I do she can and does. Now she has come up with this solution to save my life as well as yours and Mr. Malfoy's."

Hermione looked between both wizards, her previous joy had quickly morphed into confusion at their conversation. Lives? Her marriage to Malfoy was to save their lives? This couldn't be right. Hermione felt herself starting to panic. Everything was riding on her ability to get that spoiled git to marry her and they expected she could do it alone? She couldn't breathe. Was it getting warmer? She needed…she needed to see it.

"Miss Galadhrim are you alright?" Dumbledore's blue eyes looked to her in concern.

"I need your pensive."

"Of course, my dear. Whatever you need." The Headmaster stood from his desk, and Hermione pushed off her school robes and stood from her chair to follow him over to the cabinet where his pensive resided.

"Pardon me, my lady. But why do you need the Headmaster's pensive?" It was just weird how the slimy Snape she knew and hated had completely changed his personality just because of who she was related to. She hoped Ron and Harry wouldn't treat her differently.

"I need to see it."

"Your mother saw it the other night. She didn't give me an exact date just that it was going to happen sometime at the end of the school year. She wants you to be married and bonded to Mr. Malfoy before the end of the winter break."

"Winter Break! It's already October. How does she expect me to woo and marry him all in that time?" Hermione gripped the sides of the pensive not yet looking in the liquid.

"You are a smart girl, Miss Galadhrim. I'm sure you'll think of something."

Not completely reassured, she looked into the pensive's water. It wasn't as easy for her to call up a specific vision, not like her mother. It took a lot of concentration and far more power than she was willing to admit to even herself. She wouldn't be able to do any elven magic or even wandless magic at least for the next 24 hours.

Eyes focused completely on the liquid before her, she let her conscious be pulled into its soothing lulls. Her mother said the water is a living being in itself, with a mind all of its own. She had to be careful every time she used it, it would try and control her if she let it. She ignored the beckoning calls of the water as it tried to find a way into her mind and pushed it forward in time. Dumbledore had said the end of the year, so she just needed to focus on seeing events that caused the Headmaster's death around that time.

While the water reflected the passing images faster than she could comprehend, she could hear Snape and the Headmaster speaking next to her. With their words muffled by the water's hold on her, she pushed further ahead in time until the images stopped. There. The Astronomy Tower. Malfoy had a wand pointed at Dumbledore, but wait what was Snape doing?

He's going to kill the Headmaster? But there was more to it. Snape was loyal to the Order, even her mother had confirmed it. Why would he kill Dumbledore? Unless. She moved away from the image and forced the waters current back the other way, trying to find the instance he would be put into play in Dumbledore's murder.

The waters finally stopped on an image of Snape and Narcissus Malfoy being bound by an unbreakable vow by Bellatrix Lestrange. So that's why he was forced into it. Hermione now understood why she had to marry Malfoy, she had no choice.

She pushed the waters conscious from her mind and slowly lifted her eyes from the pensive. With her mind now clear of the water's influence Hermione could clearly hear Snape and the Headmaster discussing her current predicament. This was not going to go over well.

"But Headmaster what does her marrying Draco have anything to do with saving my life? I made an unbreakable vow, if she marries him he will be out of the Dark Lord's reach yes, but I will just have to finish his job."

"No you won't." Snape's eyes moved to Hermione as she stepped away from the pensive. "It's your vow that caused this issue. If you had just let Malfoy fail on his own this would never have had to happen."

"You impertinent girl." Anger flashed through Snape's eyes as if he suddenly remembered she was his student not an extension her mother. "Was I supposed to just sit by and watch my godson die for a suicide assignment forced on him by his own foolish father's failings?"

"Now Severus, Miss Galadhrim would never wish harm on anyone."

"Then how is this child" Snape gestured roughly towards her, "going to save us, dear Headmaster." Distain dripped from his every word.

"By breaking your vow when I wed Malfoy." She had had enough. She could already feel the drain using the water had cost her magic. She just wanted to go lay down somewhere. "An elven bond is not just a marriage vow or an oath to protect. It is also a bond that breaks all other bonds. He will no longer be of the wizard community, but Elven and with that any bonds made to him or pertaining to him are also broken."

Snape only looked at her, not believing a word she said. Hermione sighed and moved over to her bag by her chair. She was going to be late to class and she still needed to replace her glamour. She'd have to do a wand based glamour to tide her over until she had recharged her powers.

"She's right Severus." Dumbledore turned towards Hermione, dismissing the sulking Potions Master. "How are you going to go about wooing your soon-to-be husband, Miss Galadhrim?"

"I honestly have no idea." Snape snorted and she glared at him. "Do you have any suggestions Professor? I would _love_ to hear them?"

Snape folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes at her, "I could say that the Dark Lord as demanded he get close to you to spy on Potter and his plans."

"No way! I am not basing my marriage off of a lie to get him to get close to me. He has to want to get to know me not feel forced into it." Hermione grabbed her wand from her robe pocket and cast the glamour to return her to her former bush haired glory.

"And basing it off a lie that he is getting to know a muggleborn and not the daughter of the greatest being in Europe is a great start to a marriage."

"Like you would know, you greasy old bat!" Hermione stomped towards the Headmaster's door, but paused in the door way. "Just make up a long potions assignment and make me his partner, I'll take it from there."

As she exited the office Snape's last words trailed after her. "If he doesn't kill me first for putting him there." At least she'd only have to worry about saving two of them then. Hermione smiled to herself and head towards Herbology. Hopefully Neville took good notes while she was gone.


	4. Chapter 3

I'm so happy everyone likes it! Thank you for all your reviews it is greatly appreciated and to those who are following me. I have plenty of other stories I'm going to be doing as well, but I'm not the kind of writer who starts another in the middle of one (unless it is a one shot). I'm going to try and keep updating as often as possible, but I promise the most you will have to wait is a few days if I don't update the next day.

**shaymars – Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it too!**

**arabellagrace – I've always found it best to make him think it was his idea.**

**Jennabolla – I don't like stories where they change Hermione's whole appearance. There was no need to so I didn't. I'm trying to explain things as they come up and not have a big blob of explanation (most people skip over them any ways).**

**TheAngelOnYourRight – Snape is actually my second favorite male character, so I feel for him too. Not sure how she will go about it yet.**

**Beautiful-Liar13 – We aim to please!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings!**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 3**

Neville had been more than accommodating when Hermione asked to borrow his notes from Herbology. She decided to use her lunch period to copy his notes and try to figure out a plan of action. Hopefully, Snape would do as she asked and since she had Double Potions after lunch she'd be able to get a measure on how much effort it was going to take to get the pureblood prat to like her.

"Hermione are you alright?"

The bushy haired girl looked up from Neville's notes to look at the blonde Ravenclaw wearing her colorful Spectrespecs. Hermione had always liked Luna, even though she was a little weird at times. Luna was far more perceptive than most people gave her credit for.

"My project is just giving me a little trouble, but thank you for asking." She gave the blonde a small smile, before turning back to her notes.

"Well you can't be getting far with all those Wrackspurts flying around. I haven't seen so many in one place before. Usually, they only hang around Wood Elves, but it's been centuries since anyone has seen one. You'd think they thought you were one. Now isn't that funny?"

Hermione kept her eyes down, not looking at the inquisitive girl. "Yea, funny."

"Well, I'm off to find some pudding, let me know if you need any help getting rid of the Wrackspurts. They can make it quite difficult to concentrate." Luna's curls bounced off her shoulder as she turned towards the Ravenclaw table.

"Um...Luna."

Luna stopped and turned back, her glasses sliding down her nose as she tilted her head. "Yes?"

"Don't mention to anyone about the Wrackspurts. Don't want people getting the wrong idea you know?" Hermione scanned the Great Hall, glad that she was one of the first ones there. It wouldn't do for someone to have overheard their conversation.

"If that is what you would like, but if I were you I wouldn't mind being mistaken for a Wood Elf. They're such lovely creatures." She gave a dreamy smile and bounced towards her table.

Hermione sighed. That was close. Stupid Wrackspurts. A regular glamour charm only disguised her from wizards, other magical creatures weren't that easily fooled. As long as she stayed clear of any unicorns she'd be alright till tomorrow.

Before Hermione could turn back to her notes the Great Hall door banged open revealing a group of laughing Gryffindors. A curious, but amused look covered Hermione's face. Laughing Gryffindors usually meant one thing. Trouble.

"Hermione! You completely missed it! M...Malfoy...he" Ron busted out laughing again, hardly able to get a word out. The rest of the Gryffindors joined in his laughter as Seamus dropped down on the bench across from her.

"Got 'em self a right smackin' he did." His Irish brogue thick in his voice.

She looked at the boys still confused. "What?"

"He got bitch slapped." Harry sat down next to her on the bench and started grabbing food off the plates in front of them.

Hermione looked towards the Slytherin table as she searched for Malfoy's pale face. Not finding him, she turned to Ron who had sat down on her other side. "By who?"

"Don't know. Some fifth year." Hermione grimaced at the food rolling around in Ron's mouth as he talked.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Ronald. Here you go Neville. Thank you." She handed the notes to the newly arrived Neville and turned to Harry. "So why did she hit him?"

Harry shrugged, "Who knows, probably did what he always does."

"And what exactly is that?"

"Geez 'Mione, Ginny's right you hardly count as a girl. Every female in fourth year and up knows how he is."

Hermione gritted her teeth at Ron's comment on her gender. So what if she didn't keep up with the gossip. She had more important things to do than spend her last remaining years living in the wizarding world listening to teenage girls talk about what the latest fad was. Once she graduated Hogwarts she would be expected to start her training as the new Lady of the Wood. She'd be lucky if she ever saw any of them again.

Hermione's anger dissipated at that thought and she sighed. "Ronald, are you going to tell me or not?"

"He's a bloody Casanova! He seduces them, shags them, and then leaves them!" Ron took a vicious bite his sandwich before continuing, "I'll tell you what, if he even looks twice at you or my sister there will be hell to pay."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his he-man declaration. "Ronald, food . Mouth. Shut it." Her eyes focused on her plate as her brows furrowed. She knew that Malfoy got around, but she never thought it was that bad. How was she going to compete with the other girls in her year when she couldn't even be her real self?

The boys around her grew quiet as the Great Hall door opened once again and then busted out laughing again. Hermione looked towards the door and frowned. Malfoy and his gang had graced them with their presence. Based on the dark look on his face he was not happy.

"Hey Malfoy how's your face!" Ron shouted out from his place next to her, causing the Gryffindors to laugh louder.

Malfoy flipped them off and headed towards the Slytherin's table. Hermione groaned internally. That was her future mate. She grabbed her bag off the floor and stood from the table. Well it was now or never, better make nice.

"Where you going 'Mione?"

She didn't look at Ron as she turned towards the Slytherin table. "Need to talk to Malfoy about something."

"Bout what?"

"Prefect duties Ronald. I'll see you in class." Hermione gripped her shoulder strap in her hand as she made her way over to enemy territory.

Fully aware of what awaited her, Hermione stood next to the table and waited for them to notice her existence. She didn't have to wait long. Parkinson noticed her first. Her pug nose scrunched up as if she smelled something sour.

"Are you lost, mudblood?"

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and leaned her weight onto one leg. She didn't care that nobody knew that she wasn't a muggleborn, she still found the name foul and disrespectful. Half of her wanted to break her glamour just to shove it in Parkinson's face, but the more sensible half knew that getting Malfoy to fall for her as a muggleborn would make shoving it in Parkinson's face all the better.

She ignored Pansy and turned to an irritated Malfoy. "Malfoy, a word please."

The blonde teen narrowed his eyes, but then smirked and threw an arm around the fuming Pansy next to him. "Why should I? Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of my friends."

The brunette smirked, "I think you've had enough embarrassment for today. Don't you?"

Malfoy looked at her for a moment then slammed his hands down on the table and stood up. "Fine."

All eyes trailed the two as they made their way out of the Great Hall. Hermione could just imagine what the rumors were going to say before the lunch period was over. The Gryffindor Ice Princess and Slytherin Sex God leave the Great Hall together for a forbidden quickie. Yeah. Right.

"What do you want Granger?" Malfoy crossed his arms and leaned against the corridor wall.

Hermione froze. She actually hadn't thought that far ahead. What did she want to talk to him about? She glanced around the hall, looking for some kind of inspiration.

"Spit it out mudblood. I don't have all day. Some of us actually have a social life, not all of us want to date our text books." His grey eyes watched as Hermione's body stiffened and her eyes narrowed at his words. Malfoy smirked as she marched over to stand in front of him, her finger pointed at his chest.

"You should shut your mouth while you can Malfoy or I'll do it for you." Malfoy glared when she repeated his words from this morning back at him.

Malfoy's lips curled into a sneer. "I'd love to see you try, mudblood."

Hermione scoffed, "Is that the only insult you know? You'd think you'd have thought of a better one by now."

A growl emitted from deep within Malfoy's chest. He leaned down till his face was close to hers. "Listen here you little twit. I have more important things to deal with than trade insults with you. Remember. _You're_ the one who wanted to talk with _me_." He straighten back up and adjusted his robes. "Now if you are done wasting my time, I'd like to finish my lunch."

His words reminded Hermione of the cabinet she saw in her vision. He was trying to restore the vanishing cabinets, so that the Death Eaters could enter Hogwarts. She wondered if Snape knew about them yet.

"The vanishing cabinets." The words left her mouth before she could stop them, but they had the expected result as Malfoy stopped at her words. He stomped back to where she stood, before pulling her into an alcove out of prying eyes.

"What did you just say?"

She jerked her arm out of his grasp, ignoring the urge to rub where his hand had been. "You're trying to get the vanishing cabinets to work right?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed, "How do you know about that?"

Hermione was not about to tell him she saw him trying to fix them in her vision, but she could tell him where the second one was. "Harry, Ron, and I saw you in Knockturn Alley back in August. You want to try and fix the vanishing cabinets."

Malfoy slammed a hand against the wall next to Hermione's head making the young brunette jump. "Didn't anyone tell you curiosity killed the cat?"

Pink lips curved up into a mischievous smile, "Yes, well it's a good thing I'm not a cat."

"Being a mudblood isn't much better." His words were hot against her face.

She only smiled at his obvious threat. Her reaction to his attempt to scare her was not expected, so she used the opportunity to dip under the arm blocking her into the alcove and spin into the corridor. This was going to be easier than she thought.

"You really should be nicer to me Malfoy."

The blonde moved to follow her out of the alcove, his eyes scanned around to be sure that weren't being watched. "And pray tell why is that?"

Hermione ignored him and started down the hall towards the dungeons. She almost laughed out loud as she heard him hustling after her. When she felt him coming up behind her she stopped and spun around, a secret smile spread across her face.

"Or I won't tell you where the second cabinet is." The shocked look on Malfoy's face was almost worth the pain it was going to be to get him to like her. "See you in class."

Hermione left him gapping in the middle of the corridor as she turned the corner, ducking into a hidden passage behind a set of armor. She waited in the entrance for a moment enjoying the sound of Malfoy cursing when he couldn't find her. When he finally gave up and headed back to the Great Hall, Hermione shuffled down the passage to where she knew it would open up near the potions class room. She had a sneaky feeling that potions was going to be her new favorite class.


	5. Chapter 4

Every time my phone goes off saying I have a new follower a little part of me is doing a happy dance on the inside. Mostly. My husband is getting worried that I'm going to start trying to turn people to the dark side. If only he knew….

**SRFallen, viola1701e, living-with-feels, Annalyn Roe, Awii Eloise** – Thanks a lot so glad you all like it. I will try to make sure to update as often as possible.

**J'aimel'anime44163** – Thank you I try my best to be as articulate on paper as possible. As far as the missing words, that will teach me to edit at 1 am.

**Jennabolla** – I'll try and get more into it at some point.

**TheAngelOnYourRight** – Not sure yet, still in my brain somewhere.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 4**

The floating chalk squealed as it wrote on the chalk board at the front of the Potions classroom. Snape stood next to his desk, his black robes enclosed around him. Hermione groaned as the words Polyjuice curled out in neat spikey cursive. Couldn't Snape think of anything more challenging? She could do that potion in her sleep.

"This potion will be easier for some than others," His beady eyes looked pointedly in Hermione's direction, "but in the spirit of house unity." His face showed utter revolution as the very words. "We will be working this potion for the next month in mixed partners. To save time I have taken the liberty of choosing your partners." Groans and cries of outrage could be heard across the room. Snape continued as he glared at those who dared to speak out. "There will be no trading and no complaining." His eyes locked on Ron and Harry before he pulled a list off of his desk.

Hermione kept her eyes forwards as Snape named off the pairs. Malfoy's eyes had been on her since the moment he sat down across the aisle from her. She could literally feel his eyes drilling into her head.

It took every ounce of her will not to react to him. He was doing exactly what she wanted him to, but now she wasn't sure how to go about it. Should she keep dangling the cabinet's location in front of him? Or should she give him what he wants? Should she try to flirt with him? She'd never really tried to get a guy's attention before. Viktor didn't count. He only ever watched her study and she didn't really do anything to get him there.

"Malfoy and Granger."

Hermione glanced over at Ron and Harry and faked a groan as they mouthed sorry. Without looking at Malfoy, she grabbed her things and moved over towards his table. He wasn't going to come to her without a fight and she didn't want to start an argument over something so trivial. She _was_ supposed to be courting him. Even if he didn't know it yet.

She placed her books on the work table and headed towards the storeroom. Malfoy didn't say a word, just watched her walk away. As Snape pointed out, she didn't exactly need to look at the book. She knew what the ingredients were like the back of her hand.

They needed fluxweed and knotgrass. Of course knotgrass had to be on the top shelf. She reached up on her tip toes trying to get a grip on the jar and just as her fingers graced the side of it, a shadow covered her.

"Let me get that for you Granger."

Toes firmly back on the floor, Hermione froze. She could feel Malfoy hard chest warm against her back. He was so close. Why was he so close?

The knotgrass held out to her, Malfoy took a step back. "Here we are."

She cleared her throat and took the jar from him, her fingers grazing his. "Thanks."

As they walked back towards their table, Malfoy tucked his hands in his pockets and looked at her. "You know it's curious."

"What?"

"How you knew exactly what ingredients we needed for this potion. Almost like you've brewed it before." Malfoy smirked and took a seat at their table.

Mouth dry, Hermione sat their items on the table. She decided since Malfoy was taking the effort to be nice to her, be it or not to get the location of the cabinet from her, she decided to be honest with him. "That's because I have."

"Really?" He gave her a look of disbelief.

Copper cauldron set in the middle of the table, she picked up the fluxweed and dropped it in. "In second year."

"Now that I don't believe." He picked up the knotgrass and dropped it into the cauldron after her.

"Why do you think Snape is giving me the evil eye? It was his ingredients I stole." She stirred the cauldron three times clockwise, before waving her wand over the top. "It has to brew for an hour."

Malfoy glanced up at Snape and laughed when he saw that Snape was indeed glaring their way. "I can't believe goody two shoes Granger stole and from Snape no less. I may have missed judged you."

A sense of pride came over her at Malfoy's praise. She never thought she would feel so good from doing something bad. It didn't hurt that when he smiled he looked even more attractive than before. Hermione glanced up from her potions book when he suddenly leaned in close.

"So where is it?"

And there it was. She really didn't think he would last this long. Hermione smiled innocently. "Where is what?"

Malfoy growled, "Don't fuck with me, Granger. I played your nice bullshit. Where is the bloody cabinet?"

Quill in hand, Hermione turned in her seat away from him, "Did you think a few nice words were really going to cut it, Malfoy?"

Hands thrown up in the air, Malfoy grabbed his own quill and started to make notes about the potions affects. "Bugger it. I don't think you really know where it is."

Hermione glared at the side of his perfect blonde head. How dare he questions her intelligence? No one doubted what she knew, wizard or elf.

"I'll have you know it's in the…" She clapped her mouth shut as she caught herself before she told him it was in the Room of Requirements. The smirk on his face made her glad she'd stopped. So that was his game. Well two could play that. If he wanted to know where it is he's going to have to work for it. "Just trust that I know where it is and the only way you are going to get your hands on it is to be nice to me."

"Merlin kill me now." Malfoy let out a harsh breath. He placed his head in his hand and glanced at her. "So I be nice to you, that's all you want?"

Quill tapping against the desk, Hermione thought about it for a moment. Did she want anything else? What could she get?

Lavender and Parvati giggled across the aisle and an idea came to her. "The Halloween ball."

Malfoy sighed. "Yeah. What about it? Potty and Weasel already have dates, so you need me to threaten someone to take you?"

"You."

"Yeah me." Malfoy gave her an expectant look, but when she just looked at him something clicked in his head. He scanned around the room, then leaned into whisper darkly, "Are you mental? You can't be seriously thinking I'm going to take you to the ball. Do you want to get us killed?"

Face in hand, Hermione gave a wicked smile. "Come on Malfoy live a little. It's a costume ball, no one will even know we went together and besides if they did find out it would really drive Harry and Ron crazy."

Malfoy ran a hand through his hair, tousling it, and groaned. "I knew it was too good to be true. Is this some kind of joke?" He looked around the room angrily. "Did your stupid friends put you up to this?"

"Can't I just want to go with you?"

His grey eyes narrowed, "No fucking way."

Exasperated with the conversation, Hermione sighed, "Look. We're prefects, so it's mandatory that we go. We don't even have to spend the whole time there together. I just need someone to keep Cormac at bay."

"McLaggen?" Malfoy smirked, "You finally have a guy interested in you that can actually speak English and you're brushing him off?" He chuckled. "You might want to rethink that decision, Granger. Doubt there are many more like him."

"Merlin, I hope not." She muttered. McLaggen was as bad as Malfoy when it came to the ladies, except not a publicly handsy. Apparently, no did not mean no in his dictionary.

"Fine. You tell me where the cabinet is and I'll be your buffer at the ball. Deal?" He held a hand out to her somewhat reluctantly.

She glanced down at his hand, "Not so fast. I'm not showing you anything until you hold up your end of the bargain. I'm not stupid Malfoy."

"Hell no! How do I know you'll hold up your end?"

"Would putting it on paper make you feel better?" Hermione peeked towards Harry and Ron's tables, but turned away quickly when she saw them giving her a curious look. She so didn't need to deal with them right now.

"What did you have in mind?"

Hermione sneaked another look at the boys and spoke to Malfoy at the same time. "Meet me in the library after dinner. We'll talk about it then."

"Can't. Have a date."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, after your date."

Malfoy smirked, "Might be very late. Can't have the Gryffindor Princess out after curfew."

"Like that has stopped you before?"

"Alright, alright, but if Filch catches us I'm throwing you under the broom." Malfoy gave a nasty smile and held his hand out again.

Hand clasped in his, she smiled in return. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	6. Chapter 5

I am disappointed in myself for not keeping up my daily updates. I apologize to those who have been with me from the beginning who were looking for their daily fix. Please forgive me!

Well, here it is. Please review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 5**

After potions class Hermione had braved the brutal interrogation of her two best friends as they tried to figure out what had passed between Malfoy and her during class. Quick on her feet, she had explained that Malfoy and she had come to a truce for the remainder of the assignment so as not to harm their grades. Pacified by her answer the boys went on to recount how awful it had been to be stuck with Goyle and Nott as their partners for the next month. Ron was particularly upset since his partner Goyle was not especially bright and would in no way help his already less than average grade in the class.

Hermione tried to distract the boys from the potions assignment by bringing up the next Quidditch match that was to take place that Sunday. Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor was sure to be a slaughter and off the boys went on a long explanation about their defensive strategy. As they prattled on, Hermione had let her mind drift to her secret 'date' later that night.

Fairly good at writing up contracts, she was not worried in the least that Malfoy would be able to find a loop hole in their agreement, but to say she wasn't nervous about actually going to the ball with him was an understatement. She was never good when it came to boys, usually being the more motherly figure than girlfriend type, so she didn't know the first thing about changing a guy's view of her. Especially not one that has hated her since day one.

Hermione looked up from reading 'Hogwarts, A History' for the hundredth time, to the sound of an owl pecking on the window of the Gryffindor common room. Strangely enough for a Friday night most of the students were already in bed or off breaking curfew, not that she approved of such things, but since she was about to do just that, she couldn't very well judge. She set her book aside and walked to the window to let the owl in.

It was easy to guess whose owl it was, her being the only one in the common room. But if that wasn't enough of a clue as to whose it was, the Eagle owl perched on the table somehow looking bored as he waited for to take note tied to its leg was a dead giveaway. Only the Malfoy's would have such an ostentatious bird with the attitude to match its owners.

Hermione looked warily at the owl as she debated if the owl was going to snip at her like its master. Hand braving an attack she reached out to the large owl and was surprised when it simply stretched out its leg for her to take the note. With said note in hand, Hermione quirked a brow when the owl rubbed its head against her hand, before taking off into the night sky.

Eyes on her note, Hermione closed the window and sat back down on the couch by the fireplace. The small scrap of parchment wasn't the usual Malfoy personalized stationary, but then again she hadn't expected him to want anyone to know he was writing her. She glared down at the two words that were printed on the scrap parchment.

Ten minutes.

That was it. No signature. No way of anyone knowing what it meant, unless they were expecting it. Since Hermione was unmistakably the recipient of the obscure note, she crumbled it up, shoved it in her book bag, and head out the common room door.

As she pushed open the door to the Library, she stopped in her tracks when her eyes landed on a rumpled Malfoy leaning against one of the bookshelves. Eyes closed, he obviously hadn't heard her come in. While she would usually say something to get his attention, Hermione took that moment to just take his appearance in.

His usually pressed shirt was wrinkled, buttons were mismatched, and was untucked from his equally rumbled pants. His hair looked as if he had been running his hands through it for the last hour and though he did have that habit she wasn't entirely positive it had been _his_ hands that had been doing the ruffling. Finally, her eyes landed on the lightly reddened patch of skin on his neck and her face flushed. He had been very busy.

"As much as I enjoy being ogled, Granger. I'd rather get this over with." Hermione's eyes snapped up to his amused ones and scowled. Smirk in place Malfoy strolled over to the table by the door and gestured for her to join him.

She blushed and placed her bag on one of the chairs at the table, "I wasn't ogling."

"Sure you weren't and the blush on your face is just too much sun." He laughed as Hermione's blush deepened. "I bet you haven't ever seen a man's chest before have you?"

Hermione grit her teeth and turned to him. "Of course I have, my best friends are boys."

"Exactly. They are boys. I'm talking about a man's."

"And I'm sure you have seen many of them." She smirked and started to dig in her bag for the contract she had drafted earlier.

Grey eyes quizzical Malfoy stared at her for a moment, before he grabbed her arm growling. "I am not a poofer."

Her smirk warped into a sly smile as she took a step towards him. "I never said you were, Malfoy. But one would wonder if you are man whoring around was an attempt to hide a larger underlying problem."

His eyes flashed with anger, "I like women and women like me. Not that you would know anything about that."

Hermione shook his hand off of her arm and pulled the contract out of her bag, "I'm a woman just like the rest of them. Though I have higher priorities than your slags, I'm not completely blind. Everyone knows you're gorgeous. Your personality is just lacking anything close to decency."

Completely ignoring her insult to his personality, Malfoy smirked at her, "So you think I'm gorgeous?"

Not surprised that that was all Malfoy had taken from her little declaration, she unfurled the parchment and laid it out on the table before them. "I took the liberty of creating a contract for us that has a blistering boils curse on it if one of us should break our side of the deal. It mainly states that I will show you the location of the vanishing cabinet you do not know the whereabouts of. In return you will be my escort to the Hogwarts Halloween ball, duties including arriving together, being seen with me, and mainly keeping McLaggen away from me." She shuddered at his very name and continued, "At the end of the night when we are _both_ ready to leave, we will leave together."

"No way!" Hermione sighed, she had expected this. "I'm not leaving with you. What if I want to continue my celebration with someone else that night? I can't be limited to being with you the entire night. A bloke has needs and you are in no way fit to fulfil mine. I do have taste."

"I'm not saying you have to go to bed with me Malfoy. You just have to escort me back to the Gryffindor tower and then you can go get it on with whatever unfortunate victim you happen to be able to convince to touch you." Hermione knew she was supposed to be wooing him into liking her, but if she suddenly started coming on to him it would only make him suspicious. One thing Hermione had learned from having males as best friends was that they always wanted what they thought they couldn't have.

"Unfortunate!" Malfoy cried out, "Do you know how many owls I get daily from more than willing females begging me to just look their way?"

"Yes, and all of them would shag anything with a dick. Doesn't make you anything special."

"I'll have you know I could get anyone I want with just a snap of my fingers." Malfoy snapped his fingers together to instigate his point.

"Oh that's nice, snapping at them like dogs. You sure do know how to treat a girl. Must be that pureblood breeding." She reached for a quill from her bag and went to sign the contract.

Malfoy snatched her hand up and pulled her to him, her body flush against his. "One night with me mudblood and you would be begging me to treat you however I like."

Brown eyes flicked back and forth from Malfoy's eyes to his parted lips. As her heart pounded faster than normal in her chest, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand and not the feel of his hard chest against hers. Or the way his eyes turned to a dark grey as his thumb rubbed against her hand still caught in his. Her breath caught as his face started to lower down to hers, but just as she could feel his breath on her lips a shot of pain passed behind her eyes.

No. Not now.

If she had a vision should wouldn't be able to keep up her glamour. She pushed away from Malfoy and winced as she the images tried to force their way into her vision. Hermione turned towards the table, grabbed the contract, and pushed it into Malfoy's startled face.

"Here. Read, sign it, and give it back to me later." She grabbed her bag and hurried towards the door. But before she could get far Malfoy grabbed her arm again.

"Granger, wait! Where are you going?"

"I…I have to go. Let go of me." She tried to get her arm out of his, but his grip was too strong.

"Not until you tell me what that was?"

Pain ripped through her head as she fought back the images in her head. It wasn't unusual for her to get a vision without the help of the water. But unlike using the water, she couldn't control these kind of visions. With her magic not being completely restored from this morning, fighting back the images was almost as painful as a Crucio.

She struggled to pull her arm away as a particularly painful wave passed over her. Teeth gritted she held back a cry of pain and reached inside herself for the little magic she had restored. She couldn't risk him seeing her elf form, not yet.

"Malfoy, I'm warning you. Let go."

"Or what?" The air crackled around her and then she couldn't hold back the images any more.

As the vision of the library was replaced with a swarm of chaotic images, Hermione shoved her magic at the hand on her arm. The force of it shoved Malfoy back against one of the bookshelves knocking several books to the floor. Blind to her surroundings, she stumbled out the door, oblivious to the shocked male she left behind.


	7. Chapter 6

I officially have over a hundred followers! You guys have no idea how great that makes me feel! I'm so glad so many of you like my story! Well here is your daily fix! I've gotten so many reviews it's hard to keep up with the responses!

**Thank you everyone who loves the story! Your encouragement keeps me going!**

**Ramyfan- **Yes, I know it's mean to do a cliffhanger, but thats what keeps you coming back for more right? Her visions aren't exactly like Pheobe from charmed, but similar. She doesn't get them all the time and unlike Pheobe, Hermione can get one on purpose without too many consequences.

**kvane **- Malfoy is a tough guy a little poking won't affect him much.

**Annalyn Roe **- I want Malfoy to kidnap me!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

* * *

**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 6**

With the exception of Dobby, who brought her her meals, Hermione spent the majority of the weekend in bed with the drapes closed. Ginny came to inquire about her health for the boys around lunch time on Saturday, but when Hermione responded with a vicious declaration of it being 'that time of the month' the Weaslette didn't dare to approach her again. But there was one person she knew she couldn't get rid of so easily.

Malfoy.

He had been sending letter after letter trying to get an explanation about Friday night. Hermione wasn't sure what all he had saw, but the little jolt she had given him was more than enough to have him wanting to know more. His letters were very much like the previous one.

We need to talk.

Where are you?

You can't hide forever.

Short and to the point. Hermione didn't want to talk. She just wanted to sleep. Friday night's vision had given her plenty to think about and the power it took to refuse it entry had been more than her body could bare.

Unlike most Elves who spent the first century of their lives gaining control and stamina to wield their powers, Hermione had been hiding in the muggle and wizarding world since she was eleven. It's hard to practice being an elf when she wasn't allowed to be one. Sure she was the best in her year in the wizarding world, but compared to other elves her age, her stamina was that of a five year old, years behind where she should have been.

Needless to say, fighting a vision off when she didn't have enough magic to even glamour herself properly had her thoroughly exhausted. Hiding in her bed had been her only options. She couldn't even bring herself to find the energy to hide her ears. The hair she could have explained. A simple straightening charm, but pointed ears? Not bloody likely. In her opinion the vision hadn't been worth it.

At first as she rushed out of the library the images had been chaotic. Coming way too fast for her to make out much of anything. But while she blindly moved through the corridor, before ducking in an empty class room the images started to come together.

Quidditch tryouts.

All that fuss over bloody Quidditch tryouts. Who really cared that Ginny would make the team or that Cormac was going to beat Ron out as Keeper? Though, she really should do something about that or she would be hearing about it every game till graduation. It made her wonder about her ability to see the future.

Did her mother have this same issue? The Galadhrim were the only line of elves that had the ability to see beyond the end of their noses. There wasn't really anyone else she could ask. So Monday morning before any one in her dorm was up, Hermione snuck into the bathroom to take in the damage from the weekends lie in and gapped at what she saw.

Merlin she should sleep for two days more often.

She hadn't replaced the glamour yet and she had to say she couldn't have looked better. Her skin had returned to the normal translucent tone that was found in most Wood Elves faces and as she brushed a hand through her shinier than normal hair, she frowned. Maybe she should stop washing her hair so much.

"Hermione is that you in there?" Lavender's voice called out to her through the bathroom door.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute."

"I'm glad you're feeling better. Everyone was saying how it was unusual for you to be out of the library so long." Hermione groaned, she shouldn't have said anything. Once you got Lavender going she never stopped. "You know if you just had cramps you could have gone to Madam Pomfrey. I'm sure she would have given you something."

"Really Lavender, I'm fine now." She looked in the mirror and in a spur of the moment used her rejuvenated magic to change her ears, but left everything else the same. With a satisfied smile at her rounded ears, she turned to the door.

"You know you really should get out more Hermione. You'll never get a boyfriend being cooped up in the library all the time. I know you want to be smart, but you can't just rely on your brains for everything. I mean look at me…" Hermione swung open the door startling Lavender in mid rant. Hermione smiled at the stunned expression on Lavender's face and pushed passed her into the bedroom.

Silence was all that could be heard throughout the dorm room as everyone stared at her. Hermione smirked as she got dressed, for once she enjoyed being center of attention. Clothes in place, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door.

The girls weren't the only ones that were surprised by her new look. As she walked into the Great Hall all eyes turned towards her. For Hermione there was only one pair of eyes that mattered and they were boring right into her.

As she sat down at the Gryffindor table it was like someone had pressed the play button on a T.V. remote, because everyone started talking again at once. The boys around her watched as she served herself up some bacon and eggs and as Hermione brought her fork to her mouth she paused to look at Gryffindors still staring.

"What?"

Harry closed his mouth with a snap and turned back to his food. Ron on the other hand wasn't so smooth. He didn't even bother to swallow the food in his open mouth.

"What happened to you?"

"Ron!" Harry glared at him.

The red head shrugged, "What? It's not like you weren't thinking the same thing."

Hermione placed her fork down and turned to the students who had stopped eating to listen in on her answer. Her eyes fixed on the grey eyes one table away from her. He quirked a brow at her clearly waiting for her answer.

"It's just a charm Ronald. Lots of girls use hair charms." She flipped her straightened hair over her shoulder and started to eat her breakfast.

"I think you look really good, Hermione."

"Thanks, Neville." She smiled at the shy boy and her eyes flicked over at the Slytherin table. Malfoy was gone.

"Granger."

Her fork clattered on the plate at the sound of Malfoy's voice. The chatter around her lowered to hushed whispers. Merlin she hoped he wasn't going to make a scene.

She turned in her seat, her brown eyes meeting stormy grey. He was angry. How she knew that already was beyond her, but it didn't keep her from visibly flinching at his gaze.

"Malfoy?"

"We need to talk." Hermione grimaced when the girls around her giggled and some even ooh'd at Malfoy's words. Seemed like they thought she was either going to get cursed or a shagging of a lifetime. Either way it definitely looked like there was something going on between them and she knew by the look on Harry and Ron's face that it wouldn't be so easy to brush this one off.

"Fine." Eyes on him, she followed Malfoy out of the Great Hall and into an empty class room.

Before he could do it himself, Hermione shut the door and locked it with a flick of her hand, gaining her a look from Malfoy. She ignored his unspoken question and sat down at one of the desk, one leg crossed over the other. She wasn't going to offer up any information he didn't explicitly ask for.

Malfoy leaned against the desk across from her and Hermione almost smiled. He was trying so hard to understand her and whatever he was thinking couldn't be further from the truth. It seemed that his anger had diffused a bit since they had gotten to the classroom.

"How did you do it?"

Eyes locked on his, Hermione smiled innocently, "Do what?"

Malfoy's eyes hardened at her answer, "Don't fucking play with me Granger. What was that Friday night? How did you shove me away without a word? Was it wandless magic? And why haven't you responded to any of my notes? What's with the new look?"

A part of Hermione that was worried about what he had seen that night completely relaxed at his last question. Her glamour hadn't dropped then. Good.

"Like I told Ron, Malfoy. It's a hair charm, plenty of girls in our year use them." Malfoy crossed his arms over his chest, the movement pulled the material of his shirt tight against it. Hermione was proud to say she had control enough of her hormones not to drool.

"Fine. A hair charm. That doesn't answer my other questions."

Hermione jerked her eyes from his distracting chest up to his eyes. "I'm not sure I have to answer that. As far as I'm concerned you can bugger off." Before she couldn't finish her sentence Malfoy had crossed the room and placed his arms on either side of her, effectively blocking her in.

"You aren't leaving this class room until you tell me what the fuck is going on!"

The breath in her throat caught as his face became inches away from hers. If he hadn't been threatening her she would have thought he was going to kiss her. The disappointment she felt when he didn't surprised even her.

"I didn't feel like it. Had a headache. Wandless magic. Happy?" She pushed her face close to his, the movement caused him to retreat some unless he planned on kissing her. The sat there eyes focused on the other, neither one willing to look away first. Then the bell signaling breakfast was over tolled and they both looked away from the other towards the sound.

"Not remotely, but since you refuse to cooperate we will reconvene this little chat to a later time." Malfoy stepped away from her and she did a little happy dance in her mind that he had backed away first.

A sigh of relief escaped her as Malfoy made his way to the door. Not wanting another argument she unlocked it just as his hand touched the knob, her eyes focused on the floor. When he didn't turn the knob and leave right away her eyes snapped up to his.

"And for what it's worth, I'm going to miss your bushy hair." Hermione started to smile then Malfoy opened his mouth again. "Did a good job hiding your pointed ears don't you think?" Then he was out the door, this time he was the one leaving her speechless.

Shit.


	8. Chapter 7

Sorry not a very long chapter this time around! Will update as soon as I can tomorrow. Until then enjoy and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 7**

By time Double Potions came around Hermione was more than ready to change her hair back to the usual bushiness she was known for. Since breakfast she hadn't been able to walk down a corridor without catcalls and leers from Hogwarts' male body. One would think she had stripped naked for all the attention she was getting and it made her yearn for the quiet indifference that she was used to. But worst of all was the attention she was getting from her sex-crazed stalker.

McLaggen.

She had arrived at lunch early her head buried in her charms book, when McLaggen had somehow slid in next to her without a sound. She hadn't even known he was there until he had unceremoniously threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side. If looks could kill McLaggen would have died ten times over.

"Granger! I love the new look! It wouldn't happen to be to get the attention of a certain someone would it?" Hermione had given him a flat look before she turned back to her book. This apparently hadn't been enough to discourage him, because he only laughed. "You know you don't have to do that for me, Granger! I'd still take you to the Halloween Ball without all this."

Hermione had frowned harder at his gesture to her person. Who did he think he was? If she changed her appearance for anyone, it would have been Malfoy and sure as hell not Cormac McLaggen!

She had then shrugged his arm off violently and gave him a cold look, "For your information, McLaggen, I already have a date for the Halloween Ball. And as far as I'm concerned you can very well FUCK OFF!"

Hermione's attention was pulled over to the Slytherin table at a bark of laughter. She scowled at the amused expression on Malfoy's face, before she grabbed her bag and sandwich from the table. Men. Damn the lot of them.

The sound of the Potions room door opening pulled Hermione out of her thoughts and she sighed. It was only Neville. She gave him a small wave and turned back to the front of the room.

Malfoy knew she was a Wood Elf. Well, unless he was an utter moron, which sometimes she had no doubt that he was, he would have figured out that pointed ears meant elven roots. Now she just had to figure out what she was going to tell him. He couldn't tell anyone obviously. Five years of hiding would be completely wasted if Voldemort found her over one small slip up and if today's reaction was anything to go by, she wouldn't get any peace if they knew what she really was. Who she really was.

"Hermione?" Neville's quiet voice drew her gaze back to the awkward boy.

"Yes, Neville?"

"Do you think that you could help me…uh…that is…um…asklunatotheball?" Hermione strained to hear his hurried words, but couldn't quite make them out.

"I'm sorry Neville. I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat it?"

"Dear Merlin, Granger! Leave the pitiful boy alone. It was pathetic enough to hear him say it the first time." Malfoy plopped into the seat next to her, his feet propped up on the table as he smirked at the now blushing Neville.

"Oh shut it, Malfoy." She glared at the blonde, before she turned back to Neville's brightly colored face. "I'm sorry Neville, I only heard about half of what you said. Something about asking someone to the ball?"

"Yeah Looney Luna!" Malfoy chortled beside her.

"Don't call her that!" A still red faced Neville cried out. "She may be strange at times, but she's a hell of a lot better than you, Malfoy!"

Amused by the usually timid boy's outburst, Malfoy only laughed harder. "What do you know, Longbottom has grown himself some balls!"

Hermione took that opportunity to smack Malfoy on the arm and gave Neville a small smile, "I'd love to Neville." She turned back to Malfoy and glared. "Why do you have to pick on people? None of us have ever done anything to you!"

Malfoy dropped his feet from the desk and leaned closed to her, "On the contrary, Granger. Last I remember you shoved me into a bookshelf and insinuated that I was gay. If I should be picking on anyone it should be you."

Inwardly Hermione groaned. Great Hermione turn his attention back to her. Now all she needed was….

"If you are quite done chitchatting, Mr. Malfoy. Ms. Granger. I would like to start my class." Snape's raspy voice filled her ears. Just what she needed to finish her day. Snape moved to turn back to the rest of the class but paused, "Oh. And Ms. Granger. I am happy to see that I no longer have to fight to see over that monstrosity you call hair."

Her eyes narrowed briefly at his remark, then she smiled brightly to him in return, "Thank you so much professor! Difficult hair can be such a pain to take care of sometimes. You would know all about that, wouldn't you sir?"

The students that had appeared around her in the middle of Malfoy and hers argument gave hesitant laughs as they watched the Potions Professor for his reaction. Snape on the other hand only pressed his lips together and turned towards his desk. The lack of reaction had the students sighing in relief and some of them dared to give Hermione pleased smiles behind his turned back.

"Your new hair style is making you more confident, Granger."

Hermione gave Malfoy a sideways glance, a smirk played on her lips. "I've always been confident Malfoy. I just know restraint."

"Well then I guess you really did let your hair down this time." He smirked at his own pun and Hermione fought to keep her own lips from turning into a smile. How long had he been holding that joke in?

"Well I guess it just took the right guy to help me do it."

Malfoy covered up a snort of laughter, when Snape glared his way, "Are you trying to flirt with me, Granger?"

"Maybe, I am." Hermione tried not to blush.

"An elf is flirting with me." Malfoy shook his head in disbelief, "I would have never thought I'd see the day." Hermione gasped at Malfoy's blunt declaration of her heritage. She guessed they weren't pretending any more. "Don't think this gets you out of our deal. Speaking of which. Here."

Hermione looked under the table at the parchment Malfoy had handed her. It was the contract she had left with him on Friday night. Now that she thought of it maybe she should add keeping her identity a secret to their pact.

"Don't even think about trying to include your secret in that. That cabinet is worth a lot, but not public humiliation and a secret this big."

"You can't tell anyone." Hermione's words hissed out at him as her eyes scanned for eavesdroppers.

"Well that all depends." Malfoy crossed his arms smugly.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

He tapped his chin with a finger and shrugged, "Not sure. I'll have to think about it."

"How do I know you won't tell my secret in the mean time?" Hermione growled.

Malfoy gave her a knowing smile, "I guess you'll just have to trust me."

Worst words could not have been uttered. Hermione's life was in the hands of a pureblood prejudice prat, who she would eventually be calling her husband. Could things get any more complicated?


	9. Chapter 8

I'm trying to stay with the time line of the books as much as possible though I removed Slughorn from it completely (he kind of freaks me out) and replaced the Christmas party with the Halloween ball. I'm so sorry those of you who were waiting and waiting for my update! I got busy. Here is an extra-long chapter to make up for it.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 8**

Hermione sighed for the hundredth time since dinner. Head buried in her hands, she tried to ignore the persistent whining by her right ear. Maybe she should have studied in the library.

"Come on, Hermione! Just let me see it. I won't copy I promise!" Ron's voice harassed her ears.

"For the last time, no Ronald. You'll just copy my charms essay like you did with potions and then we will both be in trouble." Hermione brought her book closer to her face to hide the helpless face the red head was trying to portray. She could never say no to that face and he knew it. He was almost as persistent as Malfoy when he wanted something, but now she only wished she knew what Malfoy wanted. It had been three days since they had last spoken about her secret and he had yet to tell her what he wanted in exchange.

"No I won't. You can even look at my essay before I turn it in to make sure! You don't want me to fail, do you Hermione?" Ron placed his hand on her arm as he tried to get her to see his side, but Hermione wasn't paying attention to him any longer. For at that moment Malfoy's owl pecked on the common room window. One of the third years opened the window to the let owl in and it swooped down to land before Hermione.

"Hey isn't that Malfoy's owl?"

Hermione winced at Lavender Brown big mouth. Great, now she was going to have to explain herself. She grabbed the note from the owl only petting him for a second, before she sent him on his way.

She pretended to be oblivious to the curious stares and murmurs around her as she opened his note. Hermione almost sighed in relief. It was short and undecipherable like the last ones.

"What does 'I know what I want. Ten minutes.' mean?" Ron hovered over her shoulder.

Hermione crumpled up the note and threw it into the fireplace, then started to pack up her things. Since he didn't give a place she assumed they would be meeting in the library again. She really wished he had chosen better words, "I know what I want." could be taken several ways, many in which she didn't want to have to explain to her friends.

"You can't be seriously going to meet that git are you?"

The young elf stopped to look at her friends and noticed they had drawn quite an audience. By the looks of jealously on some of the girls' faces, not all of them were just curious. She dug into her bag, grabbed her charms essay, and dropped it into Ron's lap.

"Here, copy it, don't copy it. I don't care." She was momentarily relieved when Ron's face broke out into a grin.

"Thanks 'Mione!"

As Hermione stepped out the common room door Harry caught her arm. Bag on her shoulder she turned to look at the perplexed boy. He wouldn't be distracted by a free assignment.

"What going on Hermione?"

She pulled her arm out of his hand and started down the hall, "I really don't know what you mean Harry." Harry's heavy footsteps followed alongside of her.

"You know exactly what I mean. You never just let Ron copy your homework and you sure as hell don't break curfew to meet up with Malfoy."

Hermione stopped to look at him. "I'm just going to talk to him about our potions assignment. I've been hounding him all week to decide what part of the essay he wanted to do and had yet to get an answer. So if he wants me to meet him after curfew to give me his god damn answer I'm going to go."

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "I'm sorry Hermione. I'm just worried about you. He's not a nice guy. You remember what he did to me at the beginning of the year. If it hadn't been for Luna, there'd be no telling how long I'd be on that train."

"I know Harry."

"What about all the stuff he's done to us, to _you_, since first year?" She could tell Harry was desperate for her to understand what she was getting into. "And you know how he is when it comes to girls. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

She patted Harry's arm, "And I appreciate your concern, however unwarranted it is. I haven't forgotten who he is or what he's done, but I'm a big girl Harry. I can take care of myself." Hermione knew in that moment that she could never just up and disappear at graduation. Harry would never let it go, he would always search for her and honestly she couldn't imagine her life without her boys in it.

"Just keep your wand in hand, okay?"

Hermione smiled and started back down the hall. She then had a thought and paused. "Hey, you still have the Marauder's map right?"

Harry gave her a curious look, "Of course."

"If it makes you feel better you can watch my back from there."

Harry chuckled, "Alright. I might just do that. And Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"Stay out of the dungeons."

She laughed at the seriousness in his face. "Don't worry Harry, I will."

"Good. Don't stay out too long either. Remember, I'll be watching you." Harry used his fingers to gesture from his eyes to her.

"Yes, dad."

Hermione turned towards the library as Harry retreated back into Gryffindor tower. She knew that she didn't need to give him permission to spy on her, but since she was sure he would have done it anyways, at least this way she was sure he was watching. She'd have to make sure they didn't go anywhere too suspicious.

"Now that was nauseating."

Malfoy's voice startled her into a complete halt. She searched for where his voice came from and frowned when she spotted him. As he leaned against the corridor wall, she wondered how he could always make it look as if he belonged there.

"How long have you been there?"

The blonde crossed the corridor to stop in front of her and smirked, "Long enough to know Potty doesn't trust me and neither should you for that matter."

"I never said I did." Hermione brushed past him down the hallway. She let her annoyance show on her face when Malfoy's long legs didn't take long to catch up with her. A smug look graced his flawless face. How she wanted to smack it again.

"You must trust me to some extent or you wouldn't have let me live knowing your secret."

Hermione scoffed, "I trust you to use any information you can to your advantage and since you have yet to tell me what you want you won't tell anyone." She stopped and placed her hands on her hips, "What _do_ you want Malfoy?"

"Besides the utter humiliation of Potter and Weasley?" Malfoy tapped his chin with his index finger. "You know I think I'm hungry."

A delicate eyebrow rose, "You're hungry?"

The Slytherin boy smiled, "Yes, I'm hungry. Make me something to eat."

"Why don't you just call a house elf to get you something?"

Malfoy placed a perfectly manicured hand on his chest, "Me? Abuse an innocent house elf's need to serve by asking such a frivolous request this late at night? I thought you were for house elf rights?"

She rolled her eyes at his mocking of her failed campaign. "Then make it yourself. You have magic."

"Now, Granger. You asked what I wanted and I decided I want you to make me a snack. Without magic."

Hermione sighed, "So that's it? I make you a snack and you keep your mouth shut?"

"Pfft! For this big of a secret? Not even close."

"Fine." She growled and headed down the hall towards the kitchens.

"Wait. Where are you going?"

"You want to be fed right?" He nodded, still confused. "I can't very well make anything standing here in the hallway. We're going to the kitchen."

They walked down the corridor in a comfortable silence for the next few minutes. Hermione could honestly say she had never expected to ever go anywhere with Malfoy willingly, but there she was letting him lead her around like one of his fan girls. She just had to remind herself it was for the greater good and all would be well in the end.

She was surprised when Malfoy broke the silence first, "You know I was thinking. I can't really call you a mudblood anymore, can I?"

"I suppose not." Inwardly, she was overjoyed not to have to hear that nasty word anymore.

Almost as if he could sense her elation, Malfoy smirked, "But I probably should. You know, to keep up appearances. Wouldn't do for my loyal servants to think I'm getting soft."

Hermione grit her teeth as they stopped in front of the portrait of fruit, "We can't have that." She scratched the pear on the picture and stepped back as it giggled then swung open.

Malfoy peered into the entrance a skeptic look in his eyes, "How did you find this?"

"Weasley twins." Hermione stepped into the doorway, took a deep breath, and let the smells of the kitchen fill her lungs. She loved the smell of baked goods. It reminded her of home.

"Not surprised. For Weasley's, they were particular good at find all the good shortcuts." A little taken back by his praise of Fred and George, Hermione didn't notice the complete and utter silence that filled the kitchen as she stepped into it. The house elves had stopped what they were doing and stared at them.

"Mistress Galadhrim!" Dobby exclaimed and bowed at her feet, this caused the rest of the kitchen to bow where they were as well. She chanced a glance over at Malfoy, who stared at her with shock and confusion.

Shit.

"Galadhrim." Her sire name fell from his lips in a whisper as if he couldn't believe such a thing existed.

Hermione glanced down at Dobby, "Now you know Dobby that I'm not that here, I'm Miss Granger."

"But Mistress isn't wearing her glamour! We surely thought that meant Mistress was no longer hiding!" Hopefulness filled Dobby's voice.

She sighed, "I just removed the glamour from my hair, Dobby. See?" She leaned down for the elf to see her ears, "No points."

Dobby let out a cry of alarm, "Bad Dobby!" He looked around frantically at the rest of the house elves, "Bad house elves! We let Mistress's secret out!"

Hermione groaned when all the house elves started to punish themselves. Great, now they'd never get food. Their punishments could last forever.

She focused her power into her voice and shouted out, "Stop!" Every house elf in the kitchen froze in place. "You did not give my secret away. Mr. Malfoy already knew who I was. Right, Malfoy?"

Malfoy nodded dumbfounded as she turned back to the house elves, "See you didn't give my secret away, so there is no need to punish yourselves." She released the spell that held the house elves in place and turned back to Dobby, "Now I came down here to get Malfoy a snack, would it be alright if I used your kitchen?"

Dobby's eyes rounded in panic, "No, no, no. We do not mind if Mistress uses the kitchen." He nodded his head as he got confirmation from the other house elves. "But Mistress shouldn't sully her hands with such work. If Mistress would only tell Dobby what she would like, Dobby would make it for Mistress."

Hermione held up a hand, "That won't be necessary, Dobby. I enjoy doing things myself, but thank you."

Big eyes filled with tears as Dobby led them further into the kitchen, "You are most gracious Mistress." Malfoy followed silently behind her until they stopped before a cleared off station near the stove. "Mistress can use this area. Please let Dobby know if Mistress needs anything! Anything at all!"

She gave him a kind smile, "I will."

That settled, Hermione turned back to a stunned Malfoy. The poor boy hadn't said a word. Maybe she'd broke him. She waved a hand in front of his face to snap him out of his daze.

She watched in amusement as Malfoy's face turned from stunned to suspicious, "You're the White Lady? There is no way. You're too young. Lady Galadhrim is hundreds of years old."

"Young master should not talk to Mistress in such a way!" Dobby, who had been lingering near. jumped in to defend her, his boney finger pointed at Malfoy's face.

"It's alright Dobby, I'm used to it." She gave Malfoy a very Slytherin smirk, "Centuries actually, but don't tell her I told you that. Mother's a little sensitive about her age." Hermione smiled, entertained at his clear disbelief. "So, no. I'm not Lady Galadhrim, well not yet anyways."

His eyebrow rose at her explanation, "Not yet? So you will be eventually?"

"Not for at least a century." Sleeves rolled to her elbows, Hermione avoided his gaze and started to fiddle with the items on the table, "I have to graduate and get married first. What did you want to eat?"

"Married? How does one choose the next Lord Galadhrim? Is there is a test or drawing? I don't know. A sandwich, I guess." Malfoy waved his hand uninterested in food at the moment.

"What do you want on it?"

"Oh lettuce, tomato, mustard, ham. Or maybe a contest? Where the contestants would fight to the death to win your hand?"

Hermione fought the smile that threatened to cover her face at Malfoy's interest in her future husband. If only he knew. She handed him the sandwich with a smile, "None of the above."

She watched as he bit into his sandwich, concentration furrowed his brow. He really was adorable when he was thinking. Hermione munched on some of the tomato left over as she passed a sly look to Dobby.

Finally finished with his sandwich, Malfoy wiped his hands on a towel on the counter. At least her husband would have some manners. She could have been stuck with a Ron. Hermione suppressed a shudder at the thought of seeing someone's food while they were eating it for the rest of her life.

"Are you done guessing?"

Malfoy threw the towel down and crossed his arms, "Fine. How do you decide?"

"I don't decide anything. My mother has already chosen my husband-to-be as did her mother and her mother before that. It's tradition."

The blonde dropped his hands to his sides, "What? That bollocks! What if you hate the guy? What do you do then? Wood Elves don't divorce do they?"

Hermione stared down at the wooden counter, "No. When we marry, well mate, it's for life. I've always known my mother would choose my husband. She would know better than I would who would be best for me and our people."

"Why? Just because she can see the future?" Malfoy paused as a thought dawned on him. "Wait, is that what happened in the library? Were you getting a vision?"

"Yes."

Malfoy shook his head. "Then I don't understand. How is her visions any better than yours?"

She thanked the houses elves and headed for the door, "I'm not Lady Galadhrim yet. My powers aren't as stable." She could barely hear his steps as he followed behind her.

"So what? Since she is more powerful she can decide your future? How fucked up is that?"

Hermione stopped in the hallway and her cold look settled on him, "It's no more fucked up as you say, then letting a half breed dark wizard with a grudge against his own muggle father, threaten you into doing his bidding."

Hard hands pushed her into the corridor wall, she winced at the cold concrete bit into her back. She held her head high at the deadly grey eyes that pierced into hers. She would not let him scare.

"Don't talk about things you don't know anything about." His words were harsh on her skin as his tried to intimidate her with the arms that blocked her in. "You've never met him."

A bitter laugh left her, "I know more than you think. I know what you want it for." She moved her face close his ear, "I know what he asked you to do, Draco."

Malfoy gripped her shoulders painfully, "Once a know-it-all, always a know-it-all, right _Granger_. Being elf royalty doesn't change that."

"At least I can back mine up. What do you have, _Draco_? A scared boy given an impossible task to make up for his father's failures. How is that fair?"

"My father has nothing to do with this. The Dark Lord entrusted me with this task, he trusts me!"

Hermione scoffed, "Don't be delusional. He doesn't trust anyone."

"Where's the cabinet, Granger?" But Hermione had stopped listening to him, she heard a faint meow and a set of hurried footsteps. She grabbed Malfoy by his tie and pulled him into a dark corner behind a set of armor.

"What the fuck do you think you are you doing? Let go of me!" Malfoy was completely oblivious to the fact that he was about to get them caught after curfew, together, by Filch. The trifecta of rule breaking.

She growled, when the blonde kept complaining about her manhandling her, and so she did the only thing she could think of. "Shut up, Malfoy!" She hissed, before she dragged his mouth down to hers.


	10. Chapter 9

So got caught up in playing blitzball on FFX this weekend and completely forgot to update! So here is the next chapter for all my followers and the newcomers. I'm so happy you all love it and will try my best to update as often as possible.

Sneak Peek for those who want more Dramione after this one is done. I am already thinking up ideas for a BuffyCrossfic that I think is going to be something you can really sink your teeth into! :-[

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 9**

The kiss played on Hermione's mind for the rest of the night and over the weekend. During that time she steered clear of Malfoy and his questioning eyes. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the kiss. At first it was just a way to shut him up so they wouldn't be caught by Filch, but after Malfoy got over his initiate shock and started to respond back it somehow became more.

Opposite to popular belief, Hermione had been kissed before. Everyone thought she and Viktor Krum were dating back in fourth year, but he never even made it out of the friend zone. No, the only time Hermione had dared kiss anyone was when she was nine and she would sneak kisses with an elven boy behind their parent's backs. Innocent as those kisses were nothing could have prepared her for the Malfoy's.

The closed mouth press of her lips against his hadn't been enough for him. One hand slid into her hair to slant her mouth against his as his other pulled at her waist, this time Hermione was the one in unsure of what to do. Malfoy used her gasp at their new found closeness to slip his tongue into her mouth and stroked it with his own.

If anyone had asked her opinion on what it was like to kiss Malfoy, she would say that he kissed like he fought. Forceful and all consuming, finding just the thing to bring her to her knees. It was hard to think of anything else when his hands tugged on her trying to bring her even closer. Even thinking about it days later still caused Hermione's breath to quicken. She was lucky she pulled away from him when she did or she could have kissed her virginity goodbye.

Since then Hermione has been avoiding Malfoy like the plague. If she went anywhere outside of the common room she made sure she was in a group so he couldn't approach her. When she was at Hogsmeade that weekend she let Ginny pull her into every clothing store possible, anywhere she knew he wouldn't think to look for her. But if she thought he had been persistent when he was after the cabinet's location before, nothing compared to the number of notes bombarding her hourly after the 'incident'.

"Merlin Hermione, he is persistent. That's the fifth time that owl has been by to drop you a note today!" Ginny watched as Hermione shoved the note into her bag without looking at it. Hermione didn't need to see it, she already knew what it was going to say. Another plea for her to meet Malfoy somewhere and she had no intentions of doing so.

"It's nothing, Gin." Hermione looked through the pile of books she had on the common room table and almost cursed out loud when she realized she was missing a tomb from the library. She glanced up at the clock seeing that it was only seven, the library would still be full of students, so she could run down there, grab the book, and be back without Malfoy getting a chance to corner her.

"It can't be nothing Hermione! Malfoy rarely owls a girl, least of all so many times! What did you do to make him so interested in you?" The redhead eyed the pile of notes shoved into Hermione's bag greedily.

Hermione scooped it up into her arms and stood up. She really needed to start burning his notes. With the quickest route to the library in the forefront of her mind she started towards the door.

"Hermione?" The brunette stopped at the doorway to look at the young Weasley.

"It's nothing, Ginny. Really. He's just being a prat, as always, trying to get me to do his part of the potions assignment so he can go out with some girl. Now please will you drop it?" Ginny shrugged and lounged back on the couch, seemingly satisfied with her answer, but Hermione was so focused on getting out the door she didn't notice the note crumpled up in the younger girl's hand.

With the door closed firmly behind her, Hermione heaved a sigh of relief. It was getting harder and harder to pretend like things were normal. She couldn't begin to comprehend how she would explain the Malfoy situation, let alone her being an elven princess to everyone. She knew she would have to eventually, especially since after Christmas break she and Malfoy would be mated and with that it would be harder than before to hide their relationship from them.

As Hermione stepped into the library she let the sounds of students whispering amongst themselves fill her ears. Almost every table in the room was filled with students trying to get some last minute assignments done before Monday morning. With so many people around there would be no way Malfoy could corner her now without someone noticing.

"Good afternoon, Madame Pince." She smiled at the older woman at the front desk.

"Good evening, Ms. Granger. You checked out half the library this morning, you couldn't possibly be back for more?" Amusement played in the older witch's eyes.

Hermione blushed, "Sorry. I did forget one."

"Well, don't doddle. I have my hand full as it is with the procrastinators. Thank goodness one of our students has the good enough sense to work ahead!" Hermione smile broaden at the dark haired woman's praise and hurried down the Herbology aisle.

She scanned the shelf for the tomb on "The Benefits and Terrors of Caring for Fanged Geraniums". When she got to the spot where she saw it this morning she huffed at the empty spot left in its place. She was about to return to Madame Pince to see if she had another copy when the voice she had been avoiding spoke next to her.

"Is this what you are looking for?" She was half afraid to turn around and see that the person in the aisle with her was indeed Malfoy, but she really did need that book.

"Actually, it is. Are you finished with it?" She avoided his gaze and instead chose to stare at the book in his hand.

"Now that's a funny word isn't it? Finished. Such finality to it," Malfoy languidly flipped through the book, "as if I would never want it again."

Hermione peeked up at his face from underneath her eyelashes and gasped at the heat that radiated from his grey eyes. She took a step back fully ready to dart out of the aisle and forget the book all together, but Malfoy's hand dashed and grabbed hers. Before she knew it he had somehow maneuvered her between the bookshelf and himself. Part of Hermione was really getting tired of being caged in by him, while the other half wondered what it'd be like without any clothing.

"I thought you wanted your book?" His fingers laced with hers against the shelf, while the other one waved the book in her face.

Embarrassed by their close proximity, Hermione cleared her throat, "It's not worth it."

Malfoy's eyes hardened and she winced when his hand tightened on hers, "Not worth it, you say. You thought it was worth it enough to come back for it. Or do you just let anyone have your books?"

She wasn't stupid and knew very well that they weren't talking about the book anymore, if they had been in the first place. There was a time and place to discuss such things and in a crowded library was definitely not one of them. Being alone with him was a bad idea also. He affected her far more than she had ever thought possible.

If she went too far with him it wouldn't just be her she was effecting, but him as well. For the sharing of her lifespan to work she had to be pure at the consummation or it wouldn't work. It was the Elders' way of making sure that the person she was giving part of herself to was worth a lifetime.

Maybe if she told him where the cabinet was he'd back off?

Her free hand grasped the book in his hand as she locked her eyes with his, "Well, I am finished with the conversation and if you are not using the book for your homework, I need it to finish mine." She jerked the book out of his hand and used a small amount of her magic to push him off of her, not holding her smirk back this time when he stumbled at the force.

"You can't just pretend it didn't happen."

Hermione stopped at the end of the aisle and gave him a sad smile, "I'm not. I'm just remembering there are more important things than how I feel."

Malfoy frowned at her, "She can't have picked someone for you already?"

His concern for her betrothal caused part of her heart to warm. She only hoped he still cared enough when he found out it was all a ploy to keep him from his mission. "Not officially, but soon. Your cabinet is in the Room of Requirements, just think about it and it will come." She gave him one more lingering look, before she disappeared around the shelf corner. If her magic could grant her any wish, she wished he wouldn't go looking for it.


	11. Chapter 10

Two chapters in one day! Lucky you!

There mild sexual themes in this chapter! You have been warned!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 10**

Five days. It had been five days since she had told Malfoy the location of the cabinet. In that time he had yet to speak to her about anything other than their potions assignment. The large owl she had become accustom to seeing hadn't graced her with its presence. Though Hermione knew the cabinet was what he wanted, she still had hoped that he would be more interested in her than it.

If the fact that part of her missed his smart remarks and the feel of his mouth against hers wasn't bad enough, Ginny wouldn't stop giving her sympathizing looks. Any time she would see Malfoy, she would look between Hermione and him to see if there was some kind of reaction. Hermione was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for her to finally come out with her questions.

"Something happened between you two, didn't it?"

"Who?" Hermione didn't look up at the red head from the stew in front of her on the dinner table.

"Don't play dumb with me, Hermione. I saw one of the notes you claimed were only about homework."

This time Hermione sat her spoon down and turned to the younger girl. "What of it?"

Ginny glanced around to make sure no one was listening, before she ducked her head down next to Hermione's to whisper, "Why are you pushing him away?"

Hermione turned back to meal, her eyes solely focused on the table in front of her and not the blonde across the hall. "You're mistaken Ginny. He wanted something from me and now he's got it. It's only natural that he would ignore me now." The elf knew Ginny was going to take her words as referring to something more salacious, but she couldn't very well tell her about the contract they'd made.

"Bollocks! Open your eyes, Hermione. You're both miserable. I don't know a guy who would go so far out of their way to get your attention if that is the only thing they had on their minds! And don't tell me it meant nothing to you, because I see you forcing yourself not to look his way, just like I see him pretending not to watch you."

At Ginny's words, Hermione couldn't help her eyes from darting over to the Slytherin table and they locked with Malfoy's grey ones, whom quickly looked back down at his own food. She had thought that she was the only one affected by the lack of communication between them. Their unusual relationship had only lasted a week, but the absence of it made it feel like a lifetime.

She looked back to the red head next to her, "I don't know what to do."

Ginny smiled confidently, "You're a Gryffindor! Do what Gryffindors do best!"

"Act first, ask questions later?"

"Right!" Ginny laughed.

Hermione laughed along with the young Weasley and glanced back over at the Slytherin table. He didn't look very good. His hair was disheveled and his face was strained. He couldn't be making much progress with the cabinet and as much as she loathed to help him with his task, she couldn't leave him like this.

She watched him get up from his seat and head for the door. She was about to follow him when the call of owls brought new mail for her. To her surprise and delight, one was from a great Eagle owl. He also looked happy to see her.

Her hand grabbed the note and stroked the large owl's head, before she hunched down to read the note. Her happiness wilted a bit. Malfoy just wanted to confirm that he would pick her up at Gryffindor tower tomorrow night for the Halloween Ball at seven and had she decided on their costumes.

Of course he was just making sure to fulfill his end of the bargain, but at least they would be spending time together outside of class. She could talk to him about the cabinet and maybe help relieve some of his stress. With this in mind Hermione turned the note over and scribbled a hasty reply, tied it to his owl, and grabbed her things, still set on catching him out in the hall.

The door slammed behind her and Hermione looked both ways as she tried to decide where he could have gone. She would have brought Harry's map if she had known she would need it. Hermione decided to head towards the dungeons and hope she came across him there.

As she came down a corridor next to a set of restrooms, Moaning Myrtle darted out of the boy's restroom. Rage filled her face, before the person inside yelled something and caused her to break down into tears. When she saw Hermione she stopped in front of her, hiccupping as she tried to calm herself.

"Myrtle, what's wrong?"

"Well…today…hic…I decided to try a different…hic…toilet. Wallowing in my…hic…misery and then that boy!" She pointed her finger back towards the bathroom. "Came in…hic…and started breaking…hic…things!"

Hermione gave the ghost a sympathetic look and wondered if it could be Malfoy. Had he finally lost it? She had better check on him.

"I'll take care of it, Myrtle. Why don't you go back to your bathroom for the night?"

"Okay." Myrtle said in a small voice, then turned and started wailing down the hall. Hermione rolled her eyes at the dead girl's dramatics and started towards the bathroom. If there was a reality show for ghost that girl would be on it.

As Hermione walked through the bathroom door, she noticed right away what Myrtle had been talking about. There was glass everywhere. She couldn't take one step without causing a crunch beneath her feet.

"Go away! I want to be alone."

Hermione's heart broke at the hoarseness to Malfoy's otherwise smooth and sexy voice. How could he let himself get like this and after only a few days? Was that cabinet really worth it? Of course he didn't know yet that he didn't have to do this task. It made her wonder if she should just tell him now or let her mother make the official request to the Malfoys like planned.

Her eyes scanned the bathroom as she search for the blonde boy. She went around the partition that hid the rest of the bathroom from the entry way and her eyes landed on him. He was gripping the edge of one of the sinks till his fingers turned white, his eyes focused on the water coming out of the faucet.

When she was a few steps away from him, he finally looked up from the water. His mouth opened to yell again, but froze when he realized who it was. He closed his mouth and looked back at the water.

"Go away."

"Why? So you can break more stuff? I see you've done a great job in here. Did it make you feel any better?" Hermione took the last two steps till she was right beside him.

Malfoy glared up at her, "Actually, it did. Now if you don't mind."

Hermione just ignored him and looked at his reflection over his shoulder, "You look awful."

He snorted, "Well you don't look that great yourself."

She tilted her head to the side and shrugged. What could she say? She did. "At least mine has nothing to do with that accursed cabinet."

Malfoy pushed off the sink and turned towards the door, "What would you know if it? It's not like you are volunteering to help me fix it."

"Actually, I am."

The blonde rotated on his heel to look at her. His suspicions clear on his face. "Why?"

The brunette shrugged a delicate shoulders and wandered over to him. "Maybe, because I'm a know-it-all and want to be right." She started out the door, very aware of his presence close behind her.

As she walked down the hall, her path now pointed towards the Room of Requirement, Hermione let them fall into their comfortable silence. His footsteps matching hers were the only sound in the empty hallways. All the students were either still at dinner or finalizing their plans for tomorrow night's ball.

The door started to materialize before they even got to the end of the hallway. Hermione reached out for the door handle, but was stopped by Malfoy's own hand. She followed the hand from hers up to his face and quirked a brow.

"Why are you really helping me? Shouldn't you be planning your marriage?"

She turned to him a mischievous smile played on her face. "Oh that's already taken care of. It's just the groom I have to convince. Not much of a wedding without a groom." She moved her hand from his and led them into the mass storage area that was the Room of Requirements.

"You have to convince the groom? Your mother is the White Lady, can't she just pointed and say you are going to marry my daughter?"

Hermione smiled, glad he was still so interested in her marriage. She stopped before the cabinet and gave it a once over, not answering his question. The smile on her face threatened to broaden at the impatient tapping of his foot.

"Granger."

"Yes?"

"Are you going to answer any of my questions?"

Hermione finally turned to look at him, her back to the cabinet. He was so frustrated it was almost sexy. She couldn't help, but mess with him some more.

"I thought you wanted help with the cabinet?" A hand pointed back at the object behind her, a questioning look on her face.

Malfoy growled low in his throat as he ran a hand over his face, "Damn it, Granger! Stop messing with me!"

"Alright, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist." She turned back to the cabinet and placed a hand on the seam on the door. Knowing full well that she hadn't answered anything.

She was about to give in to him when she felt his body pressed up against her back. His hands on her waist, she could feel his warm breath as played upon her neck as he spoke. "Are you quite finished?"

The shiver his words on her caused Hermione to forget what she was even teasing him about. All she wanted was for him to stay just like that. As if he could read her mind, he tightened his hold on her and pulled her firmly against him.

"Galadhrim?"

When she heard her real sire name, Hermione snapped out of her daze, "Hermione."

"Yes, I know. Are you going to answer me?" His fingers played with the edge of her skirt where her shirt was tucked in.

"No. Call me Hermione." Her words sounded breathless even to her.

Malfoy brushed his face alongside of hers, letting the bristles from his face scrap against hers, "Hermione, answer me. How are you supposed to convince him?"

Hermione turned her head till she was looking back at him, her tongue swept across her own mouth as she watched his. Merlin, this boy was beautiful. He would make one hell of an elf. She brought her hands up to clasp his blonde hair in her hands and pulled his mouth down to hers, "Like this."

The moment their mouths touched a dam seemed to break inside of him. He spun her around, her back pined up against the cabinet. Hermione gasped when he hitched one of her legs around his waist and grinded against her.

He pulled his mouth away from hers, his lips formed a smirk at her searching lips, "Like this?" He grabbed her other leg and wrapped it around his waist and pressed harder into her, "Is this how you will convince your fiancé?" His words were as harsh as the speed of his hips moving against hers.

Hermione could feel something inside of her threatening to burst forward. She wasn't quite sure if she should answer his questions or not. At that moment she was only absolutely sure of one thing, she didn't want him to stop.

"Hermione." Her name came out of his lips in a pleading moan. "Tell me. Please."

That one word, please, was said with such desperation, such need, that it pulled Hermione right over the edge. As she felt herself let go, her magic also spread out from within her, into the cabinet behind her, and the wizard in front of her. One word released from her lips in answer to his question. "Yes!" Her one word and the force of her magic ramming into him, caused Malfoy to grunt out his own release.

They stood there both trying to catch their breath, both of them stared at the other not quite believing what had happened. One minute they are arguing and the next they were dry humping. It didn't make any sense. The one thing on both of their minds was, why did they want to do it again?


	12. Chapter 11

So sorry I haven't updated sooner! Things have been so crazy and I haven't had a chance to update like I wanted. Thanks everyone for your reviews they are really appreciated.

Please read and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

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**Lady of the Wood: Chapter 11**

The next morning Hermione didn't get to sleep in like she had hoped. About a quarter to eight the curtains of her bed were thrust open. She groaned at the light that shown into her eyes and growled when it was immediately blocked by a redheaded fiend.

"Ginny." Hermione's voice stretched out into a whine.

Ginny bounced onto the end of Hermione's bed and jerked back the covers. "It's not my fault someone didn't get back to the room till late. Where were you last night? With Malfoy?" She quirked an eyebrow, a sly smile on her face. Hermione blushed and tried to hide beneath the covers.

After they had come back down from their magical high, Hermione and Malfoy had discovered a small side effect of their activities. The magic she had released into the cabinet had unfortunately fixed whatever was wrong with the cabinet. For the next few hours, Hermione tried to figure out what to do about the new hitch in her plan and keep her displeasure from Malfoy, who was overjoyed by the new development. She had no doubt that her mother already knew about the issue and would contact her soon.

"Hermione? Are you blushing?" The redhead's face broke out in a huge smile and the high-pitched squeal that came out of her caused Hermione to cringe. Ginny pulled the covers away from Hermione again. "Tell me everything."

A heavy sighed escaped the elf, she gave up on any chance of going back to sleep and sat up. "Nothing…much."

"That doesn't look like much." Ginny gestured her head towards Hermione's neck and laughed when Hermione placed a hand where she was looking, her face even redder than before.

"Okay, fine. Something happened." Hermione muttered as she slipped out of bed and tried to retreat to the bathroom.

"Oh no, you don't. You're not getting away that easily." Ginny rushed after her into the bathroom just as Hermione made to close and lock the door. She leaned against the sink as Hermione stripped down and jumped into the shower. "So what happened?"

Hermione let the warmth of the water run over her hair and down her back. As she rubbed the shampoo through her hair, Ginny's question weighed on her mind. What should she tell her? The truth would be nice. Hermione was tired of lying and it would be helpful to have someone in the know when she and Malfoy came back from break mated.

"Hermione?"

As the last of suds rinsed from Hermione hair she turned the shower knob off. She grabbed the towel offered by Ginny and wrapped it around herself. Hermione ignored the expectant look directed towards her and grabbed a second towel for her hair.

"We kissed."

The redhead crossed her arms and quirked a brow at her. "You kissed? That's it? Your face is redder than my hair and you have several suspicious markings on your neck. I highly doubt all you did was kiss."

Hermione looked up from drying her hair, she could feel her face heat up even more from the Weaslette's words. She never was very good at talking about those kind of things. Last night had been the most any man had ever touched her and though it had been extraordinary, it had still been with Malfoy.

"We might have done more than kiss."

Ginny's eyes grew wide at her confession. "Merlin, you had sex with him didn't you! You slept with bloody fucking Malfoy!"

Hermione shoved her hand over Ginny's mouth and glared, "Would you be quiet? The whole dorm does not need to hear you, if they haven't already. And no I didn't sleep with him. We just sorta…" Hermione looked down at the ground as the next words came out garbled.

Ginny pushed the other girl's hand away from her mouth, "What did you just say?"

"We dry humped. Okay!" Towel tight in her grip, Hermione turned away from her friend and inspected the damage on her neck. Malfoy sure did like to mark his property. She was sure she would have had more them in all other sorts of places if he had had the chance.

"Merlin's balls! That's practically the same thing Hermione!" Ginny hopped up on the counter, her legs smacked against the lower cabinets as she scrutinized the brunette. "So?"

The brush in Hermione's hand paused mid-stroke in her hair. "So what?"

"What was he like? Is he a good kisser?"

"Yes Hermione, please tell us what Mr. Malfoy is like."

Both of the girls jumped at the mercurial voice that came out of the mirror, just before the vision of an older elf replaced their reflections. Hermione tried not to groan as her mother's tight lipped face came into her view. At least her mother made the decision for her on whether or not to tell Ginny her secret.

"That…that's." Ginny looked between Hermione and the older elf in the mirror.

"Ginny Weasley, I would like to introduce you to Galadriel, the current Lady of Galadhrim and…my mother." She watched the younger girl's face as her mouth opened and closed like a fish. It would be funny if it wasn't such an important secret.

"Your mother…" The words came out as a whisper and then something clicked in her eyes as she looked from Hermione to the woman in the mirror. "Wait a second! Your hair is normally like that isn't it?"

Hermione smirked at the girl, leave it to her to find the only thing abnormal about the situation would be her hair. "Yes."

"So you're an elf princess?"

"Yes." Hermione glanced at her mother whose mouth had curled in amusement.

"And you have you know, the…" She leaned closer to Hermione, glanced quickly at the Lady Galadhrim, and whispered. "…ears." Hermione released the glamor on her ears and smiled when Ginny's gasp. "Merlin's hairy balls." She reached a hand out and fingered the points of Hermione's ears.

She let the witch touch her ears for a moment before she smacked her hand away and laughed, "Jeez, Gin take a picture it lasts longer."

The redhead put her hand down at her side, "Can I?"

"No." Hermione laughed and finally turned to her mother. "I'm assuming this is about last night."

The amusement in her mother's face was quickly replaced with concern. "Yes. I felt a large amount of magic being released and based on what I just heard I now know what it was from."

Hermione blushed at her mother's words. Great, now her mother knew about her activities with Malfoy. At this rate she should just call Rita Skeeter and make a public announcement of it. Gryffindor Princess and Slytherin Prince get randy in the Hogwarts storage room.

"Yes, that was because of our" She coughed, "activities."

"And did these activities get very far?" Her mother looked as embarrassed as Hermione felt asking her questions about her sex life.

"I'm still pure, mother." She rolled her eyes at Ginny who was grinning like a mad woman. At least one person was having a good time.

"And the magic released from last night? Where did it go?"

That time Hermione didn't answer right away. She grabbed her wand from the counter and transfigured the towel into jeans and a jumper. She waved her wand over her hair and muttered a drying charm as well.

"Lellig, man agoreg?" Her mother's tone was that of a mother scowling her child.

"Kai, nana. Ginny-bedin edhellen." She looked apologetic towards a confused Ginny.

Galadriel turned her gaze to the young witch. "I apologize Ms. Weasley. I forgot myself."

"It's alright…um…my lady?"

The older elf just smiled politely, before she turned a stern gaze back to Hermione. "What happened?"

"Well, when I…um…released, my magic went into Malfoy."

Her mother laughed, "There is nothing wrong with that, lellig. That is natural during such activities and will only happen more often once you two are wed and consummate your union."

Poor Ginny gasped once more. Hermione wasn't sure how many more secrets she could learn before she imploded. She gave her a look that told her friend she would explain later, before she looked back at her mother.

"That wasn't a problem. That only seemed to have positive effects." Hermione felt her face heat up. "The rest of the magic not so much."

A graceful eyebrow lifted through the mirror, "The rest of it? Where did it go?"

Hermione winced, "Into the vanishing cabinet."

"And how did that occur?"

The young elf winced again, she had never seen her mother frown so hard. She was hoping she wouldn't have to answer that. But while she was trying to figure out how to phrase what happened to her mother, Ginny piped in.

"My Lady, I think I can answer that!" The grin on her face seemed to radiate around her like an aura. "I believe that if half of the magic went into Malfoy and the other half went into the cabinet, then the only reasonable reason behind it would be that Malfoy had Hermione pushed up against the cabinet while he was thrusting…" The rest of Ginny's words were muffled as Hermione clamped her hand over her mouth and glared at the red head.

"Yes, that's what happened. The cabinet works now." She moved her hand away from the other girl's mouth and frowned. "What are we going to do?"

"About the cabinet? _We_ are going to do nothing, but the cabinet cannot stay at Hogwarts. Not only because it is a danger, but because with your magic now runs through the cabinet, so that makes it the property of the Galadhrim community."

"What am I going to tell Malfoy? He'll think I had something to do with it."

"Don't tell him anything. You had no say in it and you don't know where it went." Hermione frowned, her mother always made everything sound so easy. "About the impending nuptials. Do we need to push the issue?"

Hermione smiled to herself. "No. I think we are good on that part."

"When will you tell him?"

"Tonight. At the ball."

Ginny squealed, "You are going to the ball with Malfoy? How are you going to do that? You can't just waltz into the dance on Malfoy's arm and not expect people to freak out!"

Hermione gave Ginny her best Slytherin smirk, "My dear Ginevra. That's why it's called Halloween. Everyone will be wearing their masks."

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Elven translation from arwen-undomiel elvish/phrases .html

Lellig, man agoreg - "My daughter, what did you do?"

Kai, nana. Ginny-bedin edhellen. – "Nothing, mommy. Ginny doesn't know elvish."


	13. Chapter 12

So sorry it took so long to update! Don't really have an excuse and most of you don't really care anyways. So without further ado here it is!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.**

* * *

**Lady of the Woods: Chapter 12**

Lady Galadhrim couldn't be persuaded to wait a few days to move the cabinet and Hermione could only hope that Malfoy didn't notice its absence. Malfoy wasn't the only one she had to worry about though. Ginny was hell bound on finding out everything there was to know about Hermione and her elven linage.

"The only thing I don't understand is how could someone purposely make their hair that horrid?" Ginny flipped her own silky red hair over her shoulder, "I mean really Hermione? You could have made yourself look like anyone and you choose a humongous pouf as your disguise? And they call you the brightest witch of our age."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the girl, "The point of the disguise was not to draw attention to myself, Gin."

Ginny placed an elbow on the table in the Great Hall and stared at her, "Really? And how is that working out for you?"

She shrugged, Ginny was right. No matter the lengths she went to to remain out of the spotlight, her association with Harry had not been helpful to her. It wasn't all Harry's fault, she did have a tendency to stick her nose in where it didn't belong. She encouraged Harry to investigate the Sorcerer's Stone and getting petrified in the Library was her own fault. Not to forget Viktor Krum weird fascination with her. Hermione had to admit she hadn't been trying too hard to stay anonymous.

"Oi! Hermione! Ginny! What are you doing down here?" The girls looked up from the table at Ron and Harry as they sat down across from them.

"It is lunch time Ron. Obviously Hermione and I are here to eat lunch." Ginny gestured to the food in front of them.

Ron rolled his eyes at his sister and started to fill the plate in front of him. "I'm not daft Ginny. I meant, why aren't you still in the tower obsessing over your costumes for tonight like the rest of the girls?"

Ginny turned to Hermione at her brother's question. "Oh yea. What are you going to be tonight?"

Hermione smirked, "Elves, of course."

Harry's brow furrowed, "Elves? You mean like the Keebler elf?"

"No, Harry." Hermione giggled, "Not like the Keebler elf."

Ron looked at Ginny, confused. "What's a Keebler elf?"

The other red head shrugged her shoulders, "Beats me." She turned to Hermione, "Does your date know that you are going as elves?"

"You have a date?" Ron gaped at her.

Brown eyes narrowed, "Yes, Ronald. As unbelievable as that is to you, I do have a date."

"Is it Neville?"

Harry shook his head at the boy next to him, "Neville's going with Luna, Ron. Don't you remember he just told us last night?"

"Oh is that what he was trying to say? He was so excited I couldn't tell what he was saying through all his stuttering." Ron laughed, before he shoved his sandwich into his mouth. Through a mouth full of food he turned his attention back to Hermione. "Then who is it?"

Hermione nose scrunched up in disgust, "That's none of your business, Ronald."

"You know there's no shame in not having a date. There are plenty of people going solo tonight." Ron smirked. "I think McLaggen still doesn't have a date, you should see if he wants to go with you."

"I have a date, Ronald." She said through clenched teeth. She couldn't believe he would suggest that she go with McLaggen. To make things worse a group of laughter came from behind her.

She turned around to find Malfoy and his group of friends standing there. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, while Goyle and Crabbe flanked him on either side. She was happy to see that Pansy was nowhere in sight.

"What Malfoy, is so funny?" Ron flushed red.

The corners of Malfoy's lips curled up in his traditional smirk, "We were just laughing at how pathetic it is that Granger has to get a Weasley to help her get a date. What? Is she too dirty for even a blood traitor like you?"

Hermione tried not to wince at Malfoy's comments. She knew he was only keeping up appearance, but the insults still hurt. She watched as Ron's face turned as red as his hair and suppressed a sigh. Here they go again.

"You watch your tongue Malfoy! Hermione is far more of a woman than you could ever dream of having at your side."

"Oh ho! So Weasley has had a go at the little mudblood. So tell me Granger, was Weasley pop your cherry or did Krum get there first?" Malfoy's smirk had turned into a sneer. "Or maybe it was Potter?"

Hermione's mouth fell open. How dare he? What in the hell was he thinking? Could Malfoy possibly be jealous? She almost laughed at the thought. Well two could play that game.

"Not all of us can buy our dates like you Malfoy." She let her amusement fill her voice.

Grey eyes snapped to hers, "Nobody asked you, mudblood."

"I do believe the conversation was about me and my ability to get a date on my own, so I would say I have every right to answer for myself. Don't you? Or are you too busy trying to bully someone into going to the ball with you?" Hermione looked around the Great Hall. "Where is your latest victim? Or has your money finally run out?"

"For your information, I have other, more important, business to attend to than a silly school dance." Malfoy sniffed with his nose in the air. "I won't be attending."

"What? Does Voldemort have his cronies going out and stealing candy from innocent children on Halloween? Don't you think that is a little below you?" Harry's eyes darkened as he watched Malfoy's face for a reaction.

Malfoy locked eyes with Harry, "I wouldn't know." He smirked, "I do hear he has a sweet tooth though. Let's go boys, before this rabble rubs off on us."

Hermione watched as Malfoy and his friend headed out the large doors, before she turned back to Harry. "Why do you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Bring up Voldemort. We all know what a prat Malfoy is, but he's not a murder." Hermione shook her head sadly.

"Not yet."

A sigh escaped from Hermione's mouth, "You need to stop seeing the worst in people Harry. Not everyone is out to get you and people can change."

Harry's grip tightened on the fork in his hand, "Not everyone. Not him. He will always be a slimy scheming git and if I didn't know any better I'd think you were defending him, Hermione?"

She set her own utensils down on the table and stood up, "Maybe I am. People aren't always what they seem, Harry. I know that more than anyone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry's voice rose in his anger.

Not answering Harry's question she looked at Ginny, "I'm going to start getting ready, are you coming?"

Ginny sat her own utensils down and grabbed her bag, she gave an apologetic look to Harry, who was still fuming. "Yea, let's go."

"Ginny?" Harry's voice showed his confusion. The red head stopped and turned back to her crush. "We're still going together, right?"

"Of course, Harry. But right now I'm agreeing with Hermione, sorry." She turned back to Hermione and headed towards the door only barely hearing her brother's outburst.

"When were you going to tell me you were taking my little sister?"

* * *

Hermione sent an owl to Malfoy with his costume and a note telling him to glamour his hair and ears. While many of noble elves tended to wear full length robes, Hermione had no doubt that Malfoy would appreciate more active elven clothing. The intricately woven embroidery of the tunic and breeches were in good hands with the richly brought up pureblood. She had no worries of him not being able to figure out what they were supposed to be.

"Wow, Hermione. You really do look like an elven princess now."

A gentle smile on her face, Hermione smoothed down the skirt of her dress, enjoying the feel of the cloth against her skin. It had been too long since she had worn anything from her home, she had almost forgotten what it feels like. Her mother had sent her a dark lavender satin dress with a lighter lavender cloth for the sleeves and neckline. She had let her glamour completely go and her ears pointed out beneath the strands of silver chains weaved through her hair and connecting at her forehead by a single lavender tear drop.

Ginny stood next to her in the mirror, clad in her sexy color changing dragon outfit. She had her red hair spiral curled on top of her head and her mask covered over her eyes and nose in the shape of a dragon's snout. If Harry didn't get in gear their little red head would be snatched up by one of the other boys soon, especially after tonight.

"What's this?" Ginny's hand touched the necklace that rested at Hermione's throat.

Hermione fingered the silver and diamond filled pendent. Her mother had sent it with the clothing for tonight. She had been in such awe of the heirloom given to her that she almost didn't want to wear it in fear of losing it.

"It's was my mother's and her mother's before that. It's kind of tradition. It was supposed to go to my sister, Celebrain, but I suppose she thought I needed it more."

"Your sister? You have a sister?"

A sad smile covered her face as she spoke softly, "I've never met her. She married another elven clan before I was born and then I went into hiding. I heard she has a daughter now, so technically the necklace should have gone to her by now."

"What's it for?"

"It just a necklace nothing more. But many call it the "Elf Stone." It's meant to be a symbol of hope in dark times." Hermione picked her simple white mask and tied the laces around her head. "I think it's her way of saying not to give up."

Hermione's eye went to the window that gave her a small peek at the Forbidden Forest and her heart ached for home. The edges of the forest that trailed the Hogwarts grounds were filled with dangers to discourage unwanted visitors, but further into the forest, past the darkened trees, the forest teamed with life. As a child she would love to run about the trees with her cousin, Legolas. He would be back in Mirkwood by now, no doubt Lórein had become pretty boring without her there.

"We better get going. The boys are probably getting tired of waiting for us by now." Hermione turned away from the window and followed the other girl out of their room. The rest of their dorm mates had long gone down to flaunt their costumes.

As they made their way to the bottom of the stairs, Hermione caught sight of the McLaggen standing next to Harry and Ron and she frowned. This couldn't be good. She approached the boys alongside Ginny, making sure not to make eye contact with McLaggen at all costs.

"Hey you look great Hermione!" Ron wrapped an arm around his date, Lavender Brown, who at seeing Hermione had draped herself over him. Ron's eyes hardened when he saw Ginny. "What do you think you are wearing?"

Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and glared, "My costume, right Harry?"

Harry coughed and avoided Ron's dark glare. "Right."

Hermione watched amused at the exchange, fully aware of McLaggen's eyes on her person. She suppressed a shudder, she could feel him undressing her with his eyes. Merlin, where was Malfoy?

"You look really great, Granger." McLaggen picked up a strand of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. "If only you'd told me you were going to be an elf I would have dressed to match." He gestured to his medieval knight's costume.

Hermione looked to Ron, who was smiling at her and McLaggen. "I told McLaggen here that you didn't have a date tonight and he said he would be happy to be your escort."

Teeth clenched, Hermione snatched McLaggen's hand as it made its way around her waist. "I told you I had a date, Ronald." She tightened her grip on the Gryffindor's hand until he winced and moved out of her space.

"And I said you don't have to lie to look good. McLaggen's been wanting to ask you all week, but he hasn't had the chance." Hermione's eyes turned glacial and she took a step forward a third year came up behind her.

"Um…Ms. Granger?"

She turned to boy, her anger still in her voice, "What?"

The boy gulped and took a step back, "There's someone at the door for you. He says he's your date." The third year took off towards a group of his friends, his scared eyes darted to her and back.

"Great Hermione, scaring third years now are you?" Ron's lips curled up in a sneer.

"Shut it, Ronald." She turned to Ginny and sighed, "I'll see you out there."

"Wait!" Hermione paused and turned to Ron. "Since you think you are too good for my offer to help, I want to see who this date of yours is."

"Fine." Hermione walked to the door with Ron and the others close behind. She held her breath as she pushed open the door.

Instead of the snarky Slytherin Hermione was used to seeing, an unearthly elven prince stood in his place. His usually short blonde hair swept down to brush the shoulders of his lavender tunic. Even his grey eyes seemed more ethereal behind his white mask. No one would be able to guess it was him.

Hermione smiled shyly when his mouth dropped open slightly. "Hi." The Gryffindors behind her were whispering between themselves, trying to guess who it was.

Malfoy snapped his mouth closed at her greeting, bowed, and extended a hand out to her. "My lady."

She placed her hand in his and suppressed the urge to stick her tongue out at the ones watching them. Her arm tucked into his, she tossed a look back at them over her shoulder, "Don't wait up."


End file.
